What is dyscalculia?
Last week I covered dysgraphia and this week I'd like to talk about another learning disorder that isn't as well known: dyscalculia.
Dyscalculia affects a student's ability in math. This can include simple math like adding or subtracting as well as larger math concepts and abstract math.
Like dysgraphia, this disorder is not as well studied or understood as dyslexia, but it is believed around 5 to 10% of the population may have dyscalculia.
Both ADDitude Magazine and Understood.org have great lists of signs to look for, as well as in-depth articles about the disorder.
Here are a few of the signs:
● student has trouble connecting the number 5 with the word 5 and/or 5 objects as a quantity.
● recalling math facts and times tables
● counting money and making change
● understanding concepts like the meaning of biggest and smallest
● trouble telling time with an analog clock
● struggling to recognize patterns or number sequences
If you suspect your child might have a learning disorder in math, ask your school psychologist or a neuropsychologist for an assessment. They will conduct various tests and evaluate your child's academic performance in math.
Accommodations for dyscalculia can include more time on tests, the use of a calculator, breaking up complicated multistep problems into smaller pieces, and targeted tutoring to fill in math concepts the student struggles with.
If you feel your child may need math support, please reach out to me. I have two excellent math tutors on staff who could help.
Photo by Roman Mager on Unsplash