How Do I Support My Child with Dyscalculia?
According to the American Psychiatric Association (2021), dyscalculia describes difficulties "learning number-related concepts or using the symbols and functions to perform math calculations.”
Students face difficulties with one or all three of the broad math learning foundations: quantity, counting, and language.
Students with dyscalculia may struggle with:
- Basic computation/arithmetic functions
- Memorizing math facts
- Subitizing (number sense)
- Deciphering word problems (both in terms of decoding the actual words but also in determining meaning)
- Language of math (interpreting symbols and terminology)
- Measuring items and quantities
- Mathematical life skills (using money, telling time, telling left from right, navigation using a map)
Approximately 5-10% of people live with dyscalculia and it is likely as common as dyslexia (Understood, 2022).
Dyscalculia, like dyslexia, is remediated most effectively through a multisensory instructional approach. Experts in multisensory math instruction, like Marilyn Zecher MA, CALT, advocate using the CRA Approach. CRA stands for concrete, representational, and abstract.
The CRA process encourages students to experience and experiment with mathematical concepts to understand them at a deeper conceptual level rather than simply at a procedural level or through rote memorization. The methodology aids students through explicit teaching of disciplinary language (i.e., 5 x 3 is read as “5 groups of 3”) and the remediation of lagging subskills (like number sense) while continuing to push students towards age-appropriate concepts.
Math struggles appear in LD learners and neurodivergent people beyond those with dyscalculia. Students with language-based learning differences like dyslexia and dysgraphia may struggle with the symbols of math and reading word problems. Those with Nonverbal Learning Disability may struggle with the visual-spatial processing required to interpret a coordinate plane, charts, and graphs. For students with ADHD, attending to detail in multistep procedures can be a significant struggle.
A final factor is math anxiety. The American Psychological Association (2023) cites studies estimating 20-25% of individuals experience math anxiety. They explain that math anxiety stems from the individual’s perception of their abilities rather than a lack of skill.
If you are unsure if DVFriends serves your student's learning profile, please contact the Admissions Office to speak to Jim Miller or Kavitha Patel.
Kavitha Patel
Assistant Director of Admissions, Director of Financial Aid
(610) 640-4150 x2120
Assistant Director of Admissions, Director of Financial Aid
(610) 640-4150 x2120