Dyscalculia in the classroom.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story can make all the difference.
For children with dyscalculia, understanding math can be an uphill climb. This problem can persist into their teenage years, making it difficult for them to enjoy learning. However, with proper support and lesson planning, any child can thrive in school. Like most learning disabilities, dyscalculia requires teachers to come up with strategies to ensure their success.
Before you can begin preparing for students with dyscalculia, it’s important that you understand what it is, how it affects their learning, and how to help them learn better.
Understanding Dyscalculia
Despite being commonly referred to as “dyslexia for math”, dyscalculia isn’t just an alternative form of dyslexia. It’s a completely different learning disability, and affects the child in a very different way. Children with dyscalculia might have trouble understanding numbers, solving math problems, and determining different measurements. The Child Mind Institute also reports that many children with dyscalculia also have dyslexia or ADHD, which can cause further issues.
There are many ways that dyscalculia might manifest, but they all relate back to a difficulty processing numbers or mathematical facts. While some children might excel in some ways, they might fall behind in others. For that reason, children with learning disabilities require a personalised lesson plan. However, there are ways you can generally prepare for a student with dyscalculia.
Recognise the signs
The best way to help students with dyscalculia, especially those that haven’t been diagnosed yet, is to recognise the signs. Many children who are not diagnosed early might feel that they are “dumb” or “slow”. In reality, their problems are caused by dyscalculia. Even if a child has a dyscalculia diagnosis, knowing when an issue is caused by their learning disability can help you find a solution.
Here are some common symptoms of dyscalculia, and how they might manifest in a classroom setting:
Trouble reading dice and analog clocks.
Inability to do mental math, long-form math, and other sequences.
Problems understanding measurements. They might guess wildly at how long something is, versus actually knowing how much a foot or inch is.
Difficulty retaining mathematical knowledge. One day they might be capable of solving a problem, while the next day they’re back to square one.
Issues focusing on mathematical tasks.
Easily frustrated by math. They might even feel despair when they cannot understand something.
Requires a long time to complete math problems. While their peers are flipping over their tests, they are only halfway through.
These are just a few ways that dyscalculia might affect a student. It’s important to remember that dyscalculia affects their understanding of numbers, sequences, and spatial reasoning — meaning that it might manifest in various ways.
Common struggles, and how to solve them
While every child is different, many of those with dyscalculia encounter the same basic struggles. However, teachers with the proper training can help them overcome these problems with understanding & guidance.
According to Understood.org, certain accommodations can help students with dyscalculia learn better, while still maintaining fairness in the classroom.
Here are some examples of problems and solutions:
Problem: Student struggles to remember previous lessons, but cannot learn new lessons without building upon prior knowledge.
Solution: Review previous lessons before moving on to new concepts.
Problem: Student cannot remember formulas, and struggles to solve equations as a result.
Solution: Provide flashcards with formulas on them. If they still struggle to memorise them, offer students an index card to use on tests.
Problem: Student cannot complete tests on time, or shuts down when given a time limit they deem “not enough”.
Solution: Provide student with extra time, and reassure them that they will be able to finish their test.
Problem: Student takes too long solving basic math problems, taking away from the time they need to conquer complicated ones.
Solution: Provide student with a simple calculator.
Problem: Student fails to do homework.
Solution: Talk to student’s parent about a tutor, and provide alternative worksheets. Teachers can also section off worksheets, or jot down tips or reminders to help students with each problem.
Problem: Student struggles to understand with the given lesson.
Solution: Tutoring can give them additional guidance, while alternative teaching styles and learning methods can help them find a way to understand the content.
Supporting children with Dyscalculia
The negative impact of dyscalculia goes beyond their grades. Many children with dyscalculia might feel self-conscious, avoidant, or defensive about their learning disability. Students, and even other teachers, might mock them for struggling to grasp mathematical concepts, and they might inadequate because they struggle with these tasks.
If a child goes a long time without being properly diagnosed, the negative repercussions of their disability can intensify. They might not know why they struggle with math, leading them to believe they are “just dumb”. Even if they excel in other areas, such as art and literature, they might feel that their low marks in math will ruin their chances at success.
For that reason, it’s important to recognise problems caused by dyscalculia, and offer students the support they need to overcome them. If a child is not yet diagnosed, recommending them fr evaluation can ensure that future teachers make accommodations for them. It can also provide them and their parents a reason for their struggles. Once a child is diagnosed, they can learn more about their disability, and begin to understand themselves.
Communicating with a parent about a child’s dyscalculia is also a vital part of supporting them. If a parent does not know or understand their child’s condition, they might punish the child for not performing in the expected way. Notifying a parent of a child’s dyscalculia can encourage them to find tutoring, and reading material can also be passed along so they can better understand their child.
Many children with dyscalculia don’t know why they struggle with certain tasks. Talking to them about their learning disability can help them become less self-conscious about it. They don’t struggle because they are dumb, they struggle because their brains work differently. Praise is also invaluable to a child with dyscalculia. Even if they don’t complete an entire assignment, praising them for the work they did do can encourage them to finish more next time.
If you see a child talking down on themselves because of their condition, step in. Don’t ignore them when they say negative things about themselves of their learning disability. Instead, remind them of their strengths and how much they’ve achieved in overcoming their dyscalculia.
Because of general math anxiety and other issues, many children with dyscalculia go overlooked or ignored. Without proper teaching, these children might end up feeling isolated and alone. Good teachers can become a positive force in their life, and give them the inspiration to keep learning, no matter how difficult mathematics might be for them.