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Module 7 – Dyslexia and Mathematics

October 19, 2024

Dyslexia and Mathematics

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

Student Objectives

To learn about dyscalculia;
To understand what difficulties are associated with dyscalculia;
To learn about potential causes of dyscalculia;
To learn about the effect of dyscalculia on a person’s life;
To understand how teachers, parents, tutors and doctors can help children with dyscalculia.

7.1 Introduction

Introduction As mentioned in a previous module, although people with dyslexia have trouble with words, there is also the possibility that they will have trouble with maths.

This condition, which is known as dyscalculia, is a similar condition to dyslexia but, instead of having severe difficulties with reading, writing and spelling, these individuals have issues with maths. Many people, however, still call it maths dyslexia. This module will give an overview of dyscalculia and explain what treatments and interventions are in place to improve the condition.

7.2 What is Dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a condition that originates in the brain and makes it difficult for those with the condition to make sense of maths concepts.

Some people with this condition cannot grasp the basic concept of numbers, and others can understand the logic of maths but cannot understand how to apply the knowledge that they have.

Parents who notice that their children are struggling with maths might be confused, as most children with dyscalculia do well in other subjects and have no other issue with schoolwork.

Like with dyslexia, dyscalculia is a lifelong condition, but there are interventions that help to ensure that children with the condition can live a successful life.

7.3 Difficulties associated with Dyscalculia

There are a number of difficulties that are associated with dyscalculia, and different children have different challenges, the most common of which is referred to as ‘number sense’.

This is defined as the intuitive understanding of the way in which numbers work, and studies show that even babies have a sense of numbers. Most researchers believe that number sense is the core of learning maths, and, if a child does not understand how these numbers work, learning maths can be frustrating.

Another issue that is associated with dyscalculia is ‘number blindness’. This is when an individual has difficulty associating numbers with real life situations. In other words, they cannot understand that the concept of ‘four biscuits’ is the same number as ‘four apples’ or ‘four tarts’.

7.4 The Commonality of Dyscalculia

Commonality Most people have not heard of the term ‘dyscalculia’, which may lead to the belief that it is not a common issue.

However, research shows that is it probably almost as common as dyslexia, and many children with dyslexia also have dyscalculia. It is thought that it could affect 3-6% of the UK population.

However, researchers have not yet determined how many people have dyscalculia, and this is generally due to the fact that there are different criteria used for determining this condition. Additionally, there is no data bank or grouping of data that researchers can use.

7.5 The Possible Causes of Dyscalculia

As with dyslexia, researchers do not know the exact cause of dyscalculia, but they have been able to identify certain factors; here are some of them:

Heredity and genes
Brain development
Environment
Brain injury

7.6 The Symptoms of Dyscalculia

There are many symptoms of dyscalculia, but people with this condition do not always experience every symptom and what one person might experience, another person will not.

Additionally, the signs of dyscalculia differ based on age, and it tends to become more pronounced as a child gets older. Here are some of the warning signs based on age:

Signs of Dyscalculia in Preschool/Nursery School/Kindergarten

Difficulty learning to count
Difficulty recognising number symbols and connecting words and numbers, such as ‘6′ and ‘six’
Difficulty associating a number with real life, such as understanding that the number ‘3′ applies to any group that has three objects, such as 3 cars, 3 apples or 3 cups
Difficulty understanding ‘place value’
Difficulty remembering numbers or skipping numbers when counting
Difficulty recognising patterns with numbers
Avoidance of playing games that involve numbers, maths or counting

Signs of Dyscalculia in Primary School

Trouble recognising symbols and numbers
Difficulty recalling simple equations, such as 2+3 = 5
Struggling to identify signs, such as ‘+’ and ‘-‘
Using fingers to count
Difficulty writing numbers
Difficulty coming up with a strategy to solve maths problems
Poor sense of direction
Unable to remember numerical facts, such as addresses, postal codes or telephone numbers
Difficulty telling the time

Signs of Dyscalculia in Secondary School

Struggling to apply basic maths concepts to everyday life, such as estimating a cost or giving change
Difficulty measuring, such as when cooking or engaged in crafts
Getting lost or struggling with directions
Difficulty reading charts or graphs
Struggling to find strategies with which to solve maths problems
Lacking in confidence in activities that require estimating, such as playing a sport or driving

FACT

dyscalculia

The most common signs of dyscalculia include: learning number facts, telling time, understanding quantity, and understanding money.

Source: Dyslexia Action

7.7 How Dyscalculia affects Certain Skills

Symptoms Dyscalculia causes many more problems than just within the classroom, and most people do not realise how much we use maths in our everyday lives.

People with dyscalculia will also be affected in the following ways:

Socially

Having difficulty with maths can make people have low self-esteem which could affect their social life. Those people with low self-esteem often have difficulties making friends and living life to their full potential.

Sense of Direction

Many people with dyscalculia have difficulty knowing their left from their right, therefore they may have difficulty reading a map or following directions.

Physical Coordination

Dyscalculia may also affect how the eyes and brain work together and this could lead to difficulty when judging distance between objects. This can make a person with this condition clumsier than other people.

Money Management

Those people with dyscalculia may find it difficult to budget their money, balance a cheque book or estimate a cost. The condition may also make it difficult for them to calculate tips and give change.

Time Management

Dyscalculia may affect a person’s ability to measure time. For instance, they might have difficulty estimating a minute of time or understanding how much time has passed. They also tend to have difficulty sticking to a schedule.

7.8 Diagnosing Dyscalculia

Diagnosing Dyscalculia Almost all cases of dyscalculia are diagnosed in early childhood, but since there is less research done on this condition than with other learning disabilities, it makes identifying the issue more difficult.

Fortunately, parents and teachers can make the diagnosis process easier by doing things such as taking notes on the child’s challenges and sharing this information with a doctor or specialist. There is no specific test that is done for dyscalculia, and, instead, a diagnosis often involves several steps. These are laid out below:

Step 1 – A Medical Examination

The first step in the diagnosis of dyscalculia is to see a GP and get an examination for the child, as problems with maths can indicate other conditions, in addition to dyscalculia.

For instance
It might simply be that the child was born too early, as premature babies often grow up with learning disabilities. Additionally, people with ADHD often have issues with maths. If a doctor can rule out other conditions, the quest to diagnose dyscalculia will continue.

Step 2 – See a Professional in Maths Skills

After getting the all-clear from a GP, the next step is to see a professional who has training in maths skills, such as an Educational Psychologist. A GP will generally refer children with suspected dyscalculia to a psychologist; it may be an Educational Psychologist at the local education authority, at the child’s school or a private psychologist.

This person will generally talk to the parent about the child’s challenges and then look at both the school and medical records.

Additionally, they might ask the child to do the following:

Count Objects – Asking a child to count objects, such as dots, will help to gain insight about their number sense.
Count Backwards – A frequent test for dyscalculia is to ask children to count backwards and to count whilst talking or writing. This helps the professional to see the association between the way in which a child uses numbers and how they use words.
Drawing – There are also screening tools that use drawing to see how a child understands shapes. For instance, if a child is given a book in the shape of a rectangle but cannot pick out the same book on a card from a different angle, they could have issues with their visual-spatial skills.
Observation -The professional will want to observe the child in the classroom. This is done to see how the child copes with maths, and their behaviour when working on other subjects. They will also see how they interact with their classmates.

Before the child sees a professional, the parents should prepare them for it. The parent should explain that this is a doctor who will play games with them and that they will not be graded as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Explaining a school visit will be trickier, but there are other methods that the GP and the child’s teacher will use, to comfortably bring the professional into the classroom to make their observations.

Step 3 – Putting it All Together

After the examinations, tests and visits have been completed, it is time to put together all of the findings. The psychologist and the GP will take a look at the information that they have gleaned and will come up with a diagnosis. They will go over the results with the parents, and, if the child is found to have dyscalculia, will work with the school to create an educational plan that will work with the child’s strengths and weaknesses.

7.9 Conditions That Are Related to Dyscalculia

It is not uncommon for children who are diagnosed with dyscalculia to have a diagnosis of an additional, related medical condition.

Some of the conditions that could be related to dyscalculia include the following:

Dyslexia – Although people often call dyscalculia ‘maths dyslexia’, it is actually a different condition. However, true dyslexia is often seen with dyscalculia, and approximately 43% to 65% of all children with dyscalculia also have a form of dyslexia.
ADHD – It is common for children with dyscalculia to also have ADHD. However, some maths issues are only due to ADHD, so it is up to the experts to decide if the child’s maths issues are due to this condition or actually due to dyscalculia. If a child has maths issues due to ADHD, they often disappear once the ADHD is under control.
Maths anxiety – Those who have dyscalculia may also have maths anxiety which is a type of nervousness or fear about maths tests.
Genetic disorders – There are some genetic disorders that may appear with dyscalculia. These include Autism, Gerstmann syndrome, fragile X syndrome, and Turner syndrome.

7.10 Who Can Help With Dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a condition that is not as well-known as other learning issues, so parents might have to be more persistent with professionals, in order to get a diagnosis.

Teachers

If a child has been identified as having dyscalculia, and they are eligible for special education courses, there might be a plan in place that can help with the child’s dyscalculia.

Some of the things that can be done include:

Intervention programmes – Some schools have intervention programmes in place that help to keep students from falling behind. These include using routine screenings and small group and individual instruction.
Informal support – There are also strategies that teachers use in the classroom to help those children who struggle. It is important that teachers and parents work together to share concerns and information about how children respond to maths-related activities.

Parents

To help children who have dyscalculia, there are things that parents can do at home; these include:

Using examples to connect maths to real life, such as sorting familiar objects by number. This helps to strengthen the child’s number sense.
Using visual aids to help the child solve maths problems. For instance, if a child is adding 2 + 3, a parent can use two apples, or other objects, then add three apples.
Assigning maths work that is manageable for the child, as they should not feel overwhelmed.
Reviewing recently learnt concepts, before moving on to other concepts.
Supervising and encouraging children to talk through the maths-solving process. This can ensure that they are using the right formulae and rules.
Breaking down large lessons into smaller parts which would make learning easier for most children with dyscalculia.
Offering graph paper, to help children line up their numbers correctly when writing.
Using extra paper to cover up other maths problems, to allow them to just focus on one problem at a time.
Playing maths games that are fun yet help them to learn.
Coming up with a long-term written plan that outlines several goals that the child should meet.
Talking to teachers about accommodating the child in the classroom. These include more time for taking tests, recording lessons, allowing the child to use a calculator and creating tests with fewer questions.

Tutors

A tutor can work with a child, either one-on-one or in a small group. This person can help a child master the basics of maths, and then practise these skills. Tutors might also come up with other ways to help a child use maths concepts.

GP

A GP is a good person to confer with when helping a child cope with dyscalculia, especially if the child has a low self-esteem due to their condition. Anxiety and depression are common with this condition so a GP may refer the child to a psychologist.

Parent Advocacy Groups

Parent advocacy groups are available throughout the UK, and these groups can be a great resource for parents who have children with dyscalculia.

7.11 Treating Dyscalculia at Home

at Home It can be a challenge for parents of children with dyscalculia to help their children, especially if they are not confident about their own skills in maths.

Below are several ways in which parents can work with their children, in order to improve their maths skills, raise their self-esteem and boost their confidence in maths.

Parents should remember that not all of these strategies will work with every child, but a combination of these interventions can usually help.

Here are some of the things a parent should try:

Learn what the child knows – Parents should try to learn when the child is learning which can help them to help their child. Parents should also let their child know what they are going through because they are going through a similar thing to learn this material. Parents should also tell their children that they do not believe that they are unintelligent, lazy or unmotivated. This will help to encourage the child, and it can reduce feelings of anxiety and inferiority.
Play maths games – Playing maths games with the child can help a child at home and these games can help the child to improve their skills and reduce anxiety. Using household objects such as toys, fruit or other items help to connect maths to everyday activities.
Create a space for homework – It will also help the child to be more productive if there is a space in the home that is only for homework. This should be a quiet place, free of distractions, with easy access to the parent for help, if necessary.
Use a calculator – For those who have issues remembering basic maths facts, allowing a child to use a calculator can help with problem solving and reasoning. These are skills that will be highly valued in the workplace when the child gets older and it is appropriate to use calculators.
Boost confidence – Parents should do what they can to boost the confidence of the child; they can do this by identifying the child’s strengths and using them to improve upon the child’s weaknesses. It can also help to identify the interests of the child and then use these interests to improve their maths skills.
Help with time – Setting an alarm or having a system in place to help a child who has difficulties with time will show them when to start their next activity when doing maths work.
Remain upbeat – Parents should remain upbeat with their children when they work on maths problems. For instance, using praise can help the child to feel supported and loved. It will also give children the confidence to stay motivated to try different maths concepts.

Conclusion

Dyslexia and mathematics can go hand in hand, or a child might have one condition or the other.

Many children who have dyslexia also have dyscalculia or even conditions such as ADHD. There are a number of interventions and treatments that parents and teachers can implement, in order to help a child to improve their maths skills, including boosting self-esteem, creating fun ways to learn maths concepts and offering personalised instruction. However, most importantly, it is best for parents and teachers to remain patient with these children, as frustration with maths can easily set them back.

WELL DONE!

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