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What is it? Dyscalculia is a Learning Difficulty it is like Dyslexia but with numbers. “A condition that affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers, and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence.”
Symptoms • Counting: Dyscalculic children can usually learn the sequence of counting words, but may have difficulty navigating back and forth, especially in twos and threes. • Calculations: Dyscalculic children find learning and recalling number facts difficult. They often lack confidence even when they produce the correct answer. They also fail to use rules and procedures to build on known facts. For example, they may know that 5+3=8, but not realise that, therefore, 3+5=8 or that 5+4=9. • Numbers with zeros: Dyscalculic children may find it difficult to grasp that the words ten, hundred and thousand have the same relationship to each other as the numerals 10, 100 and 1000. • Measures: Dyscalculic children often have difficulty with operations such as handling money or telling the time. They may also have problems with concepts such as speed (miles per hour) or temperature. • Direction/orientation: Dyscalculic children may have difficulty understanding orientation (including left and right) causing difficulties in following directions or with map reading.
Symptoms in more description “Difficulty keeping score during games, or difficulty remembering how to keep score in games, like bowling, etc. Often looses track of whose turn it is during games, like cards and board games. Limited strategic planning ability for games, like chess.” – Dyscalculicforum.
Sports May have poor athletic coordination, difficulty keeping up with rapidly changing physical directions like in aerobic, dance, and exercise classes. Difficulty remembering dance step sequencesor rules for playing sports.
Music They may have difficulty grasping concepts of formal music education. Difficulty sight-reading music, learning fingering to play an instrument, etc.
Short term memory Poor memory for the "layout" of things. Gets lost or disoriented easily. May have a poor sense of direction, loose things often, and seem absent minded.
May be unable to picture mechanical processes. Lack "big picture/ whole picture" thinking. Poor ability to "visualize or picture" the location of the numbers on the face of a clock, the geographical locations of states, countries, oceans, streets, etc.
Inability to grasp and remember math concepts, rules, formulas, sequence (order of operations), and basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. Poor long term memory (retention & retrieval) of concept mastery- may be able to perform math operations one day, but draw a blank the next! May be able to do book work but fails all tests and quizzes.
When writing, reading and recalling numbers, these common mistakes are made: number additions, substitutions, transpositions, omissions, and reversals.
Difficulty with the abstract concepts of time and direction. Inability to recall schedules, and sequences of past or future events. Unable to keep track of time. May be chronically late.
Mistaken recollection of names. Poor name/face retrieval. Substitute names beginning with same letter.
Money Inconsistent results in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Poor mental math ability. Poor with money and credit. Cannot do financial planning or budgeting. Checkbooks not balanced. Short term, not long term financial thinking. Failsto see big financial picture. May have fear of money and cash transactions. May be unable to mentally figure change due back, the amounts to pay for tips, taxes, etc.
Any female/Male prevelance Although Dyslexia is more dominant in males than females, Dyscalculia is equal.
How common is it? 5-8% of people have Dyscalculia. Within 30 pupils 2-3 students will have Dyscalculia.
Forms of Dyscalculia Semantic retrieval dyscalculia Procedural dyscalculia Visuospatial dyscalculia Number fact dyscalculia
Steve Chinn “Steve Chinn brought his unique course, "The Trouble with Maths" to Brussels and the teachers who participated in this course are still full of praise for or it, many feeling that it was the highlight of the academic year. Steve has an in depth understanding of the minds of children with learning disabilities that interfere with the learning of Maths, and is able to join these children on their level to find out more about how they learn and what they need to learn. He is also able to transmit this information to the teachers who attend his courses in a language that they understand, not the abstract language often used in such courses, providing an abundance of practical examples as well as the rationale for using them. Everyone comes away satisfied and Steve's information informs how these teachers teach Maths forever afterwards." Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, Creative Is now, an independent consultant, researcher and writer and continue to present papers and contribute to conferences, deliver training courses for teachers, parents and support assistants in over thirty countries across the world.
Emailing him “Dyscalculia, like dyslexia is something you don’t grow out of. Although I am retired from teaching I tutor an 18 year old student at the local College, who is dyscalculic. However, we are making some progress. The key is to build understanding and confidence. Both support memory problems.”“Howard Gardner (USA and famous) talks about ‘multiple intelligences’, ten or so in his theory, as opposed to just ‘being intelligent’. What this means is that we all have relative strengths and weaknesses, for example, you might have a strong intelligence for art or music whilst you intelligence for spelling may not be strong (dyslexia) or maths (dyscalculia). Dyslexia and dyscalculia are specific learning difficulties, not generallearning difficulties. There are neurological reasons for the difficulties. Genes have been identified that explain why dyslexia runs in families. Dyslexia is now recognised as a disability, but then it was recognised over 100 years ago and there is a massive body of research to support its existence. Awareness of dyscalculia is more recent and it is not yet recognised as a disability. Dyscalculia is rooted in early number concepts and, because maths is so developmental, that has impact as the maths progresses to new topics.”
Awards 2008 The Marion Welchman International Award for Services to Dyslexia2010 The Lady Radnor (Dyslexia Action) Award for lifetime services to dyslexia.2012. IDA Orton Oak’
Qualifications BSc (Chemistry) PhD (Applied Physics) University of LeedsPostgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) University of BristolDip Ed Man Bristol PolytechnicAssociate Membership of the British Dyslexia Association (AMDBA)
Teaching 14 years in mainstream schools teaching science 24 years as Head of three schools for dyslexic pupilsHead of Shapwick School, a secondary school for dyslexic boysHead of Chatauqua Academy, Baltimore, USA, a co-ed high school for dyslexic pupils
Bibliography • http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/schools-colleges-and-universities/dyscalculia.htmlhttps://dyscalculia.advancelearningzone.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=3
