Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers and quantity which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics and daily life. 

Symptoms

✽   Difficulties with processing numbers and quantities, including:

• Connecting a number to the quantity it represents (the number 2 to two apples)
• Counting, backwards and forwards
• Comparing two amounts

✽   Trouble with subitizing (recognize quantities without counting)

✽   Trouble recalling basic math facts (like multiplication tables)

✽   Trouble with mental calculation and problem-solving

✽   Difficulty 

• Counting money 
• Referring to both analogue and digital clocks
• Linking numbers and symbols to amount
• Understanding what is quantity 

✽   Poor visual and spatial orientation

✽   Difficulty immediately sorting out direction (Right from left)

✽   Troubles with recognizing patterns and sequencing numbers

 

Causes of Dyscalculia

✽   Genetics

✽   Brain Development: Differences in regions associated with learning skills 

 

Managing Your Mental Health

✽   Educate yourself on dyscalculia 

✽   Focus on your strengths rather than weaknesses

•  Our minds may magnify our weaknesses. Do not beat yourself down, you might be a strong writer, or athlete.

✽   Avoid negative self-talk, try having a Growth Mindset

• Change “I can’t do this” to “I can’t do this yet”, and “I don’t know how to do this” to “I am learning how to do this”

 

Supporting My Child with Dyscalculia?

Seek help from Learning Specialists, Educational Therapists, or Neuropsychologists who can provide:

• Specially designed teaching plans
• Math-based learning games
• Practicing math skills, a lot more often than other students

 

Tips and Tricks

✽   Use Multisensory Techniques to count

• • Objects (e.g. beads, fingers) or Sounds (e.g. clapping) 
  • Cooking/Baking (Draws attention to quantities)

✽   Easy-to-Use calculator and plenty of erasers

✽   Draw pictures of Mathematics word problems

✽   Setting phone alarms to keep track of time

✽   Focus on effort, not results