Maths for Dyscalculia
BAD NEWS - Dyscalculia maths problems will be with you forever.
GOOD NEWS - You can MANAGE these dyscalculia maths problems because you are clever. The definition of dyslexia or dyscalculia is that you have above-average intelligence. You can think your way around this number dyslexia/ dyscalculia issue and be successful.
What resources are out there for Maths for Dyscalculia?
BAD NEWS - not a lot!
GOOD NEWS - below are some FUN resources you can use on yourself, with a class or with your child.
MENTAL ARITHMETIC - 7 DAY CHALLENGE
You must get better at mental maths and it will only take 7 days.
DAY 1 - ADDING UP TO 10
Number Bonds
Maths for Dyscalculia doesn't need to be boring but you DO have to get better at mentally adding up to 10. Below are some fun games.
Eg 27 + 13 = ?
How do you do that?
You have to be good at number bonds which means two numbers that add up to 10. We’ve made up stories with number characters (see left). Visual learning works really well for dyscalculia brains.
How do I remember 3 + 7 = 10?
It’s easy when you turn numbers into characters!
1+9 = 10 (9 giraffe and 1 candy cane both have long necks)
2+8 = 10 (Both of them are white so they go together nicely)
3+7 = 10 (Boomerang 7 loves chopping Mouse 3’s whiskers the most)
4+6 = 10 (6 girl is the only one with hands who can sail 4 boat)
5+5 = 10 (snake can’t be friends with anyone except another snake)
Sites like Fables World will help you with important maths basics.
Fables World uses animated cartoons to help children/teenagers/adults remember number bonds in seconds.
Game: Practice mental addition
Once you’ve learnt your number bonds this game will be super easy.
1. Get a pack of cards - Ace = 1 and Picture Cards = 10
2. Flip over two cards and add them together
3. Flip over another card and add that to the previous card
4. Keep flipping over cards and adding them together until you have 10 cards in a row.
5. To create a little more of a challenge make the JOKER card -2.
DAY 2 - MORE ADDITION :
Number plate Challenge
Maths for Dyscalculia is better if you practice outside the classroom and make it fun.
Look at two car number plates and add the numbers together
eg [63 AAA] & [VU13 YND], add 63 + 13 = 76
TIPS - I always thought I had to add the UNITS first, but if you add the 10’s first, it’s much easier for mental arithmetic.
Example 1
82 + 31 =
First add 8 + 3 = 11
Then add 2 + 1 = 3
Answer = 113
Example 2
If the numbers are too LARGE and you have to carry a number over :
Eg 78 + 84 = ?
First add 7 + 8 = 15
Then add 8 + 4 = 12 (You must add the 1 to the 5 to make 6)
Answer 162
Do at least 5 cars number plates, and you will notice your skills starting to improve already.
DAY 3 - MORE ADDITION
Phone number challenge:
Take your telephone number or any number from your contacts eg 07931717290 now add them all together:
eg 0+7+9+3+1+7+1+7+2+9+0 = 46
Do at least 10 telephone numbers and see how fast you can get
TIPS 1: In the above calculation if you start from the left and count numbers to right you will get to 28 + 7 =
How to tackle this,
I’d borrow 2 from the 7 (28 + 2 = 30) to make 30
Then add the remaining 5 (7 - 2 = 5)
Answer 35
*Always add up to the nearest 10 as that’s easier. Then add on the rest of the number.
If you try and count on your fingers it will be slow and likely you’ll miscount and get it wrong.
TIP 2: Telephone number challenge 07931717290
0+7+9+3+1+7+1+7+2+9+0 = 46
Two points in the above calculation, you will have to add 9 to a previous number.
Example 1
7 + 9 =
Always pretend 9 is a 10 and then add eg 7 + 10 = 17
Then take away 1 and you find the answer = 1
Example 2
37 + 9
Always pretend 9 is 10 and then add eg 37 + 10 = 47
Then take away 1 and you find the answer = 46
*Never try and add 9 it’s too complicated - pretend it’s a 10 and take 1 off the final answer.
*Give yourself a treat if when get faster
DAY 4 - MULTIPLICATION & DIVIDING:
FABLES WORLD:
Maths for Dyscalculia is impossible if you don’t know your multiplication and dividing facts. You NEED to know them off by heart. I know that’s difficult, and you hate doing it, but there is help out there. Replace 10 minutes of Netflix /social media with mental maths, and you will feel 100% more intelligent.
TIPS: Go onto Fables World where characters represent all numbers. The characters interact to create rude/funny stories. Who can’t remember a funny story? You will remember your Times Tables and dividing in 7 days.
Do 10 minutes for 7 days, and you will know them all.
Netflix and Instagram will not make you feel like Einstein but knowing your Times Tables will. Get off social media and get learning NOW.
*Give yourself a treat when you get faster
DAY 5 - PRACTISE YOUR TABLES
Game: Scissors, Paper, Stone
Maths for Dyscalculia need not be boring - Promise this is fun.
Rules :
2 players needed
Use BOTH hands.
Count to 3 and BOTH put out some fingers (needs to be more than 3 fingers unless playing with young children)
Example :
Player 1 puts out 7 fingers
Player 2 puts out 4 fingers
The first player to multiply the fingers eg 7 x 4 = 28 is the WINNER
Winner: The first to get 10 correct answers is the winner
Forfeits: The loser has to do 20 sit-ups.
Get learning your Time Tables on comedy animation site Fables World if you don’t know them and this game is impossible.
DAY 6 - ALGEBRA
Game: Murder Mystery
I know algebra used to fill you with fear but it won’t any more, especially if you know your times tables.
Pretend Algebra is a Murder Mystery Game. Find the missing number and YOU will have solved the mystery.
REMEMBER TO DO 10 mins - MULTIPLICATION & DIVIDING: on Fables World, it teaches using rude /funny animation so won’t bore you.
NOW do these algebra equations:
*TIPS: remember each side has to be equal =
(You can’t have 56 = 42 they are NOT the same they are NOT EQUAL - you didn’t solve the mystery )
So everything on one side has to be the same as the other side eg 56 = 56 or 42 = 42)
Example 1
Q : 2 x 7 = 4 + ?
What is the mystery number?
First do 2 x 7 = 14
Now we have to make the other side = the same
14 = 4 + ?
What is? It has to be 10
14 = 4 + 10
14 = 14
Mystery solved 10 was the murderer.
Example 2
Q : 8 x 7 = 50 + ?
What is the mystery number?
First, do 8 x 7 = - The boomerang chops the snowman’s head off and the answer is = 56. I will keep on at you until you learn your times tables they are essential!)
56 = 50 + ?
Now we have to make the other side = the same
56 = 50 + 6
56 = 56
Mystery solved 6 was the murderer.
Example 3
-3 + 2x = 11
What is the mystery number x
As the Detective, you are allowed to move suspects around to see who is the murderer. So let’s move -3 onto the other side of =. Now if we move -3 to the other side of = it has to change into +3. Think of it like moving someone in and out of jail, people change when they go in or out of jail from positive to negative.
So let’s add +3 onto 11 on the right side.
Eg 2x = 11 + 3 = 14
So now we know 2x = 14
What is 2 x ? = 14
2 x 7 = 14
x Must be 7
NOW - go back to the original equation and put in all the information you have learned.
Answer -3 + (2 x 7) = 11
So 7 was the mystery murderer. Nice work Detective.
This may take a bit of practice and working out but keep going and you will get there.
Try app: DragonBox Algebra for practice.
*Give yourself a treat if you get faster or even understand the above!
DAY 7 - DAY OF REST - Thank goodness for that!!
However, You can lie in bed and do this but practice you must Young Maths Jedi…
So lying in bed repeat anything from the previous days that you found hard.
Don’t do the stuff you found easy that WON’T help you.
Keep going with the hard stuff and your brain will grow, flourish and you may even become an Einstein Genius.
YOUR BRAIN:
Scientists have proven that our brains are like plastic and will always GROW. Never believe you will be STUPID at MATHS forever. You can change this and grow in your mathematical skills but start TODAY not tomorrow - tomorrow never comes.