DYSCALCULIA

Dyscalculia is a specific learning disorder defined affecting a child’s ability to comprehend mathematics commensurate with chronological age. It is marked by difficulties with visualization visual-spatial perception, processing, discrimination, counting, pattern recognition, sequential memory, working memory for numbers, retrieval of learned facts and procedures, quantitative processing speed, kinesthetic sequences, and perception of time.

Choreographed routines such as aerobics and dance may be a struggle because the movements require calculation in order to master them. They may always count using fingers and fail at most or all levels of mental math.

There is no single type of math disability. Dyscalculia can vary from child to child and continues through to adulthood. It can affect people differently at different stages of life. However there are two main types that occur frequently:

1. Developmental dyscalculia – which indicates a genetic cause and noticed first in childhood.
2. Acquired dyscalculia – which occurs as a result of a stroke or trauma to the brain and occurs atany stage.

SYMPTOMS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•  Difficulty counting backwards.
•  Poor memory and struggles to remember basic facts.
•  Slow to perform calculations.
•  Poor to no mental arithmetic skills.

• A poor sense of numbers & estimation.

•  Difficulty in understanding place value.
•  Addition is often the default operation.
•  High levels of mathematics anxiety.What to look out for in Pre-school children:

•  Has trouble learning to count
•  Struggles to connect a number to an object, such asknowing that “3” applies to groups of things like 3 cakes, 3 cars,or 3 friends

• Struggles to recognize patterns, like smallest to largest or tallest to shortest

What to look out for in Primary School children:

•  Has difficulty learning and recalling basic number facts such as number bonds, e.g. 5 + 4 = 9.
•  Still uses fingers to count instead of using more advanced strategies (like mental calculation)

•  Poor understanding of the signs +, -, x or may confuse these mathematical symbols
•  Struggles to recognize that 2 + 5 is the same as 5 + 2 ormay not be able to solve 3 + 26 ‒ 26 without using materials to calculate.

•  Has trouble with place value, often putting numbers in the wrong column.
•  May not understand math language or be able to devise a plan to solve a math problem.
•  Finds it difficult to understand math phrases like greater than and less than
•  Has trouble keeping score in sports or games
•  Has difficulty working out the total cost of items and can run out of money
•  May avoid situations that require understanding numbers, like playing games that involvenumbers and calculations.

FACTORS AFFECTING EARLY DETECTATION

There are differences in the way and the speed at which children will assimilate new math skills making it difficult to identify this disorder early.When a child sees that they do not understand math yet and their peers are able to, they may experience a lowered self-esteem which will hold the child back.It occurs more often in the presence of another disorder like Dyslexia, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability etc. (comorbidity) also making early detection difficult.

There is a dearth in research on this specific learning disorder in fact there is more research and knowledge on Dyslexia than there is for Dyscalculia and this affect diagnosis and intervention because there is lack of knowledge.

SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DYSCALCULIA

There are a few formal programs for teaching struggling math students compared to programs for teaching struggling readers. However educators can still use specialized instruction to suit the child’sneeds and other strategies and approaches mentioned below:

•  Encourage use of assistive technology such as speech-to-text, calculators (for primary learners) and materials like abacuses, blocks etc. (for pre-school learners) as these provide more visual cues for the brain to make sense of math problems.
• Do not rely on rote learning (repetition) –employ others methods like associative, incidental, play-based etc.
•  Allow the student to verbally express how
• to solve the problems – training their minds to organize and make sense of numbers.
•  Allow the student to use a different paper or book to assist in organization of numbers.
•  Ensure that the student has mastered previous skills because it is futile to keep on adding more complex concepts if the basics are not known – the child sinks deeper into failing and will view math negatively.
• Find mnemonics (mental shortcuts) to teach math that reduces the burden in working out sums.
•  Allow extra time.
•  Break down assignments into sections.
•  Highlight keywords in word problems.

• Educators can also employ the use of multisensory materials to help the student to make sense of the sums by engaging all senses. This teaching approach uses sight, touch, hearing and movement to give kids different ways to learn skills and understand concepts. Multisensory math techniques can help kids understand what the numbers and symbols represent. These techniques often teach math concepts in a logical way in which one skill builds on the next.

• Educators can also employ the use of multisensory materials to help the student to make sense of the sums by engaging all senses. This teaching approach uses sight, touch, hearing and movement to give kids different ways to learn skills and understand concepts. Multisensory math techniques can help kids understand what the numbers and symbols represent. These techniques often teach math concepts in a logical way in which one skill builds on the next.
• Using natural objects in the environment to see quantities and how they change provides a concrete way of understanding how certain math concepts work. It can also help kids developnumber sense and make stronger connections to what they’re learning.

• It is important to help kids connect concrete items to the symbols that represent them. In other words, teaching them that the numeral 5 represents five blocks or five sweets, or any other multi sensory tool.
• Schools can make accommodations to support struggling students like remedial support, assistive technology etc.

DYSCALCULIA IN THE AFRICAN CONTEXT

There is generally a lack of awareness in most African populations in regards to learning disorders. A child struggling in Math is just seen as not intelligent enough. Most educators are also not clued up on developmental disorders and so many children go through their foundation phase of schooling with no formal diagnosis and intervention.

Most public schools do not have remedial support. There is little to no intervention to help struggling students. However it is not all gloomy, the emergence of Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers is helping in identifying struggling children early. The main concern is therapies and intervention services that are very scarce and expensive.

Talent Adamson Behaviour Therapist

BA (Health and Social Services) Applied Psychology, BA Hon (HSS) Psychological Counselling – (UNISA)