Understanding Dyscalculia | Common Types of Learning Disabilities | Special Education Teacher

This week, we are talking Dyscalculia, as you know we’ve been taking a look at common types of learning disabilities. Dyscalculia a specific learning disability in math. I’m excited to share with you a Dyscalculia simulation that will help you understand how those with learning disabilities feel.

Dyscalculia is a lifelong condition that makes it hard for kids to perform math-related tasks. Dyscalculia goes by many names. Some schools refer to it as a mathematics learning disability. Doctors sometimes call it a mathematics disorder. You may even hear kids and parents call it math dyslexia. (The term math dyslexia can be misleading, though. Dyscalculia and dyslexia are not the same things.)

Simulation Tool

#Dyscalculia Dyscalculiasimulation #Learningdisability

Signs and Symptoms

Preschool
• Has trouble learning to count and skips over numbers long after kids the same age can remember numbers in the right order.
• Struggles to recognize patterns, such as smallest to largest or tallest to shortest.
• Has trouble recognizing number symbols (knowing that “7” means seven).
• Doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of counting. For example, when asked for five blocks, she just hands you an armful, rather than counting them out.
Grade School
• Has difficulty learning and recalling basic math facts, such as 2 + 4 = 6.
• Struggles to identify +, ‒ and other signs, and to use them correctly.
• May still use fingers to count instead of using more advanced strategies, like mental math.
• Struggles to understand words related to math, such as greater than and less than.
• Has trouble with visual-spatial representations of numbers, such as number lines.

Middle School
• Has difficulty understanding place value.
• Has trouble writing numerals clearly or putting them in the correct column.
• Has trouble with fractions and with measuring things, like ingredients in a simple recipe.
• Struggles to keep score in sports games.

High School
• Struggles to apply math concepts to money, including estimating the total cost, making exact change and figuring out a tip.
• Has a hard time grasping information shown on graphs or charts.
• Has difficulty measuring things like ingredients in a simple recipe or liquids in a bottle.
• Has trouble finding different approaches to the same math problem.

[rachaeldouglas]

My daughter was diagnosed today with dyscalculia. I was having a hard time explaining it to my family and how her brain computes numbers. Thank you for the simulator! Can't wait to share this with them!

[summerb]

I'm 35 and still trying to learn 3rd grade math. Please don't stop, this can change someone's entire life. Thank you.

[danab]

The single most stress and frustration trigger words from each of the hundreds of people that try to teach me: its easy, math is easy, you can do it if you try, stop being negative....

[fizarrah]

I’m grown, 30, and you just made me realize why I had such a hard time in school and stayed awake all hours working my butt off on math because I couldn’t finish it, and why I use to have such anxiety going to school to the point where I’d get physically unwell and want to run away, or die, and all that. I wish someone would have seen I had an issue. I worked so hard raised my hand and begged for help, but still wasn’t fully getting it like I knew I should have. What’s worse were the teachers who’d say y’all shouldn’t still be using your fingers, you should have the multiplication chart memorized, if you haven’t got it yet you’ll never get it, and if I see you using fingers you get an F. I remember how being timed made it that much worse and if I could here the ticks like in that video I couldn’t even think at all. That video made my brain just freeze up I couldn’t count or think because of the timer, but the overall experience with the numbers really is how it feels when I’m trying to quickly count out money for a cashier, I can’t Count it bc I get overwhelmed and panicky, my mind literally goes blank just black emptiness for as long as I’m there staring at my hand full of change... it’s horrible I usually just use quarters so I can remember on spot that that’s 25 bam. It’s embarrassing, I cried after watching that experience video because it explained it better than I could. The lady at the end who said that doing a problem means you have to do the simple ones involved each time too because you can’t remember them is exactly right and it makes it so overwhelming it’s totally true, that’s me, Thank you for making this video.

[jebeja]

Praise the Lord for helping me to find this video, I've had 'math issues' since 'elementary school', and want to overcome this ASAP. Wish your videos were more wide spray, you'd be surprised at how many adults like myself, who've been battling 'math issues' for many years now. Thanks and God bless you for these helpful and informative videos. 🫂

[summerb]

I'm literally ready to cry, I'm so happy that things will change for future generations. I mean, not right away but my goodness this is a great step.

[mojigreen]

Hello everyone! I was diagnosed with dyscalculia as a child. I counted on fingers and percieved numbers in different order. A few years later got accepted into STEM middle school with higher math, physics and programming. There I wasn't pressured to count and calculate in a certain way as long as my calculations were correct and I could explain the logical chain. At some point I could multiply 3 digit numbers in my head to each other.
If your child have dyscalculia, they still can learn math even on high levels if they like it as the subject. If the teacher makes concepts understandable by providing non numeric analogies, if they show original methods of calculating outside of table ones and make you learn how to think and not what to think, you can understand math and mathematical thinking to the best of your abilities and desire.
I still can't do table division and multiplication, but I converted everything into fractions and triple checked to avoid mixing numbers by writing them bigger on paper. Help yourself or your child to understand their weak and strong points and provide them with flexible methods and math can open up to them :)

[brittanywinn]

This made me cry, like ugly cry! At 37 I just recently learned that I have this. In my quest to learn more about it I found this little video. I can't express how much of a relief it is to learn what this is. I didn't realize how much trauma this has caused me until I burst into tears watching this. That money exercise was so good. In highschool I took math in every semester and even sometimes in summer school to try to get a good enough mark to get into the university course I wanted to take. I passed grade 12 math with a low 60 something percent. I felt so stupid and really I should have been incredibly proud. I am proud of myself now! I wish that I knew what dyscalculia was when I was a child. It would have changed my life. At least I know now.

[blamegamemaster]

Wow I wish u where my teacher after 1st grade I was lost times tables where torture in 4 grade can't pass GED math test 2 save my life . Thanks for the info

[shortpotato]

I was diagnosed my junior year of highschool, and am now in my early 40s. This has made my life hell, closed off opportunities, and made daily existence so difficult and embarrassing.

[olorcain]

Wow, I read through the symptoms and I struggled with most of those through school. I am 38 now and I have been able to get better at some areas but math was always a subject that terrified me. When I started college I was above average at almost everything except math which I had to remediate and I barely got by with C's and then tanked back to D's and F's for college algebra. I never really made it to learning Trig or Calculus nevermind linear algebra or more advanced maths. I always had a hard time with fractions and learning my multiplication table took forever. I would love to be able to progress past my deficiencies.

[SummerDarlingJones]

Thank you so much for this series! I'm 35 (almost 36) and have never been good at math.

I would always get beaten or told that I was lazy and didn't apply myself. I got high grades in everything but math.

I was never good at calculating complex math problems, formulas, or handling too many numbers on a page. When I see groups of numbers or problems to be solved, all I see are jumbles. It doesn't make sense to me.

I also was not good at reading music, which again, was something else that I was beaten for.

As an adult (ironically), I have had jobs where I handled money. Basic counting, addition, and subtraction are okay for me to handle.

One day our computers for the registers lost power and we had to use old school calculators (not the newer ones), so I had a very hard time doing the calculations to give correct change.

I was promoted at another job and had to do closing paperwork. I struggled with the percentage calculations. I had to quit after they wouldn't let me go back to my old position.

My parent (she didn't like me calling her, mother) didn't believe that I had a learning disability because she wanted the perfect child. I believe that my education experience would have been different if I was allowed tutoring or extra help. I suffered in silence because I was a source of shame.

If I ever have children, I will make sure to give them all the help I can if they have any learning disabilities, and make sure they know it isn't their fault. Everyone learns differently. It's easier for me to follow directions to build things, than calculate a random math problem.

I was even able to graduate college (through a long, non-traditional route). Unfortunately, my parent was not alive to see me get my degree. I am still trying to learn math through free courses online. I hope my story helps someone. Don't give up. We are all works in progress.

[xBarksx]

I wish you had been my Maths teacher in school. I didn't even know I had dyscalculia until adulthood (I'm 30 now). On top of dyscalculia, I also have epilepsy - so my memory issues are REALLY bad. I very nearly failed my Maths GCSE in school, and was just made to feel dumb. I'm trying desperately to find a way to learn Maths so I can re-sit my exam and get either a C or above so that I can pursue the career path I want to. If you or anybody else know any techniques or resources that might be useful to me, could you send them my way? All that being said, you're awesome - carry on doing what you're doing!

[MrKolbersTeaching]

Really good to know someone is out here doing this stuff! In an engaging manner!

[wagnerable]

I’m 45 and a few years ago I heard of the aforementioned learning disability dyscalculia, which I know I have. Math was a real struggle for me throughout my school years. In fact, It took longer than average to pass remedial non-credit math in college. I wish I had known of this twenty-plus years ago, which possibly would have saved a lot of frustration. To me the problem with our education system is that it has been slow as a snail to recognize certain learning disabilities and we make circumstances more difficult than they have to be.

[wanderlovesus]

I hate dyscalculia! Because of it,
I couldn't ever succeed on my goals, and was never been able to earn a diploma, which that's the biggest put down on my self-esteem. I pray that you're videos will help me alot and keep on walking into my journey of earning my high school diploma and accomplishing my future career.

[rebeldiamond]

I have two class left before I get my associates. They’re both math classes. I’m dreading it. During high school, I avoided math word problems and was humiliated by my teacher, Mr. Bradford, for not understanding fractions. He told the student next to me to “deal with me”. Had he been an actual instructor, he would have picked up on my responses and maybe looked into it. What is going on at institution where instructors graduate from?
I’m going to take an assessment for learning disabilities within the next month. Thankfully.

[MJ-gjmj]

If I would have known kids like Alex when I was in 6th grade and the teacher told me other kids struggled like I did....game changer. I would have gotten extra help if someone would have tested me, rather than assume I was just choosing not to complete the assignments on time or at all. I hope more teachers take note and start helping the next generation with their math skills. It's not easy being an adult that gets confused with what is described as "basic" math skills and can't advance further in education or job training. #dyscalculiastruggle

[cozyjuni]

30 now. Looking back at it from the age of 8 or 9 i learned that i had a specific learning disability in math. It started in 3rd grade all the way through highschool, possibly college. When i learned bout dyscalculia i felt seen. Even my own teachers were like i learn in my own unique way. Thats when i realized yep! Im neurodivergent. Ty 4 these resources ❤

[Seashellsbytheseashore]

i'm a middle aged lady with this LD. before i got diagnosed, i remember my 9th grade math teacher noting that i was always helping my peers with their other subjects but struggling with math, and that some kids just aren't good at math. "you're really trying, i can see that!" my 12th grade math teacher could not understand how i could follow his directions at 1:45 pm for how to solve a problem, but by the time 2:20 pm rolled around, all the procedures had gone out the window in my mind. still to this day, i have to count with my fingers for simple addition and subtraction.