Pecha Kucha Presentation – Dyscalculia

Developmental Dyscalculia is one of a family of Dyscalculia research is at least two decades behind
specific learning disabilities. Dyscalculia affects a research on dyslexia. It is currently estimated that
child’s ability to understand , learn, and perform math between 5 and 7% of elementary school aged children
and number-based operations. It is often incorrectly may have Dyscalculia. Unfamiliarity with Dyscalculia
referred to as math dyslexia or number dyslexia. has a lot to do with attitudes towards math and the
Through the rest of the presentation we will delve into problematic belief that Math is just more difficult than
the signs and supports for this learning disability. language.

Dyscalculia is often assumed to be math anxiety. A Dyscalculia presents itself in many different ways.
student can have anxiety about math without having Students with Dyscalculia may have problems with
Dyscalculia. Although students with Dyscalculia may math in four different areas: Number sense,
experience some form of math anxiety. Children are Memorization of arithmetic facts, Accurate and fluent
sometimes also brandished as being lazy even though calculation, and Accurate math reasoning.
their struggles genuinely have to do with math and It is not necessary that a dyscalculic student will have
number sense. difficulty in all four areas.
 Students with Dyscalculia struggle with number sense In terms of memory, they tend to have difficulty

because they have a hard time recognizing numbers. remembering math facts like addition statements or

They may be unable to make the connection that the multiplication facts and often forget what they have

numeral 5 is the same as the word five, spelled five. learned between lessons. They might lose track when

Place value and decimals can be especially confusing counting and often find it hard to hold numbers in

for them as well. their head making them take a longer time when
solving math problems.

Mathematical symbols for addition, multiplication and Activities like counting money or telling time can be a
division can be confusing for these students. Word difficult ordeal for students with Dyscalculia. They are
problems and concepts like ‘greater than’ or ‘less than’ also more likely to avoid situations that require
are especially challenging as they involve understanding numbers, like playing games that
mathematical logic based on both numbers and words. involve math or keeping score in sports. In order to
avoid embarrassment, they may distance themselves
from their peers.
Some students might also feel frustration and despair The first step in supporting students with Dyscalculia
when their attempts seem to be going in vain. This is to recognize and pay attention to the signs discussed
makes them want to distance themselves from Math earlier. An evaluation can lead to a proper diagnosis.
even more and further affects their efforts and After the diagnosis an individualized education
performance. Outbursts of anger and refusal to do any program, or IEP, can be created to identify the students
work can be part of their behavior as well. current performance, their unique needs and any
services or accommodations which can support these
needs.

Students who have Dyscalculia can benefit from extra During classwork, the teacher should check the
time, moderate memorization, aids, and manipulatives. students work at regular intervals and intervene with
For teachers, the focus should be on helping students further instruction if necessary. Sample problems
understand the ideas rather than memorization and posted clearly on the board, reference charts and
recall. Patience is key as students may need to be diagrams, and individual dry-erase boards are all items
taught the same concept several times. that can help the student refocus on the problem if
they lose track.
 Since these students have trouble gauging time, For concepts more complex than addition or
standard-length math assessments might make them subtraction, allowing the use of a calculator (on tests
feel rushed or overwhelmed. Thus, an important or assignments), makes the basic steps a little quicker
accommodation would be to allow extra time on tests. and gives students more time to focus on
Reducing the number of questions on an assignment demonstrating what they know instead of how well
or test are some modifications which can help students they can add/subtract in their head. The use of this
focus on their understanding rather than assistive technology should be closely monitored so
memorization. that students do not become over-dependent on it.

It is not necessary that all students with Dyscalculia A Brand-New Me is the story of a young boy who is
will show all of the signs discussed earlier. Similarly, preparing to graduate elementary school but is worried
the suggested supports, accommodations and about how his learning disability will affect his
modifications may not be effective for these students performance on the final exam. The book can help
as they will have varying degrees of challenges and start a discussion on how learning disabilities affect
some might even have other learning disabilities. students in day-to-day life and how children can
discover their strengths in other areas.
 The Child Mind Institute is an independent, national Understood.org connects families, educators and
non-profit dedicated to transforming the lives of young adults to resources, expertise, and communities
children and families struggling with mental health that support and bolster the confidence of those
and learning disorders. Their website includes several struggling with a learning disability. The website
articles and resources on how parents can help their contains important information about how parents and
child once they have been diagnosed with Dyscalculia. educators can spot Dyscalculia and how they can
support the student with the accompanying challenges.

Dyscalculia.org is a website which includes various As the research and awareness on Dyscalculia
resources and training options for educators. It increases, educators and parents will be able to better
provides easy access to current research and understand this learning disability. Early intervention
discussion around Dyscalculia. It also includes is important because the sooner the student gets the
suggestions for books and other media for teachers to necessary support, the less likely they are to take these
become more familiar with the learning disability and challenges with them into adulthood. Thank you for
teach their students about it as well. your time and attention!