Decoding Dyslexia
Decoding Dyslexia
Dyscalculia
I Can’ t Do Maths! Some children have severe difficulties with learning new mathematical concepts, in which case they need to be taught explicitly. Students may cope better working in smaller groups whilst others require support on a one on one basis.
What is dyscalculia? The new Dyscalculia Committee of the British Dyslexia Association recently suggested that a definition of dyscalculia would involve the content from the UK’ s DfES and the ICD-10:
Dyscalculia is a condition that affects the ability to acquire mathematical skills. Dyscalculic learners may have a 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. DfES( 2001).
Dyscalculia involves a specific impairment in arithmetical skills that is not solely explicable on the basis of general mental retardation or of inadequate schooling. The deficit concerns mastery of basic computational skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division rather than of the more abstract mathematical skills involved in algebra, trigonometry, geometry, or calculus. ICD 10.
Tips for supporting a student with dyscalculia 1. Watch the learner and listen to the learner 2. Be pro-actively empathetic( especially with factors such as short term memory) 3. Don’ t rely on rote learning 4. Manage failures and maintain motivation 5. Ensure the pupil experiences some meaningful successes 6. Show patterns. Guide generalisations 7. Revisit everything... again and again 8. Know the pre-requisite skills for each new topic and make sure the learner does too 9. Explain and show why. Don’ t rely on,
‘ Do it like this.’ 10. Identify and interpret errors Don’ t just say,‘ Wrong.’
My big daddy, overall, super-top-tip is,‘ Teach them to understand.’ Let me explain why, so that there is an understanding of teaching to understand.
One of the key problems for dyscalculic learners is retention of basic facts and maths procedures in their long term memory. But do note that, like most of the learning problems in maths, this is not exclusive to dyscalculics. There will be a spectrum of abilities to memorise maths information. For example, I often ask when lecturing for teachers,‘ How many of your ten year olds do not remember all their times tables facts?’
This is now a big sample of teachers. The modal answer is 60 % to 70 %.
There are many programmes on-line and books in shops that claim to‘ teach’ time table facts. I think that all, or almost all, rely on rote learning, a belief that somehow a catchy tune or a cute illustration will do the trick. Problems with dyscalculia are a little more complicated than that. As a parallel, it would be unrealistic to expect to teach a dyslexic perfect spelling by a series of quick fixes( though some of the snake oil persuasion have tried to sell this enticing prospect). And there is an added issue,‘ purfection’ is not perfect, but it is close enough for recognition. 7 x 8 = 64 is just‘ wrong’. If used within a complex calculation,‘ close enough’ is not good enough. Maths works in a very unforgiving way.
Intervention needs methods tailored to the needs of dyscalculics. It takes time and has to be highly efficient if learners are to catch up.
The Dyslexia and Learning Alliance have specialists who are able to help screen and assess for Dyscalculia and support you with those vital strategies, right across the age range. Catching up with maths doesn’ t have to be hard, in my experience, it’ s a lot easier to help children with maths than spelling, as there are only regular patterns to maths.
Extract from an article by Steve Chinn with Permission from The Learning Difference Convention Handbook 2016 / 17 www. learningdifferenceconvention. com Jillian Zocher is an Educational Therapist at Decoding Dyslexia and Alistair Howitt Marshall is a Psychologist at Dyslexia Perspective. Both practice from Dyslexia and Learning Alliance in Erina.
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