{"id":8837,"date":"2019-08-02T14:55:45","date_gmt":"2019-08-02T14:55:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=8837"},"modified":"2021-06-18T17:21:40","modified_gmt":"2021-06-18T17:21:40","slug":"14-efficient-ways-to-overcome-dyscalculia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-efficient-ways-to-overcome-dyscalculia\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Efficient Ways to Overcome Dyscalculia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Did you struggle with maths at school? Are your kids struggling to deal with their algebra homework? While it may sound outrageous, there is a medical condition that affects some people, causing them to struggle with learning math. As crazy as this sounds, it’s an actuality that exists in schools all around the globe, affecting hundreds of thousands of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyscalculia describes a condition where students develop anxiety disorders related to a math learning disability. Some students do not have the necessary logic required to handle math problems, and as a result, they develop dyscalculia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients with the condition experience a deficit in the region of the brain responsible for processing calculations. Simple tasks such as memorizing math time-tables may cause intense sensations of panic as the patient struggles to come to terms with the fact that they cannot process the information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you or your children struggle with dyscalculia, here are eight efficient ways to overcome the effects of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.    Provide Encouragement and Support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dyscalculia<\/a> occurs in children during the first few years of schooling. If left undiagnosed and unmanaged, the child may develop low levels of self-esteem due to their performance in the classroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many math teachers are now aware of dyscalculia and how it presents symptoms in students. This awareness allows teachers to identify struggling students, providing them with the additional tuition they need to overcome their condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, those students that remain undiagnosed may start to develop issues with their self-esteem when they fail in class. The student may develop feelings of anxiety, especially around tests and exams where they feel uncertain about the outcome of the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identifying the disorder is the first step to overcoming dyscalculia. Some students may choose to follow other learning paths that do not require math, such as the arts. Others may overcome their issues with counseling and tutors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouraging the student helps them deal with their disability, and gives them hope that they may be able to overcome their learning issues with math.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Review Previous Topics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Students who are dealing with dyscalculia <\/a>find that they struggle to retain information from the previous lessons. As a result of their inability to process new math concepts, they start to fall behind in class. The student may then decide to give up on their studies, as they do not have an understanding of the new lesson plan, and how it relates to the previous classes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, it’s vital that teachers start each new lesson with a recap of the material covered in the previous class. By using this strategy, the teacher can identify any sticking points that may cause the student from falling behind. Reviewing the previous material allows the student to keep the information fresh in their mind as they start to cover new topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, children who attend public school have to deal with over-crowding in classrooms that reduces the teacher’s ability to identify students that are not keeping up with the rest of the class. As a result, many students go undiagnosed, resulting in poor grades in math class.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Draw Out the Problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some students who are suffering from the effects of dyscalculia may find that they have a mind that deals with images better than numbers<\/a>. As a result of this, the student might gain benefit from the teacher demonstrating the problem through drawings.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The use of demonstration is an excellent way to expand on the problem using visual cues. Using this strategy helps the student to understand each stage of the problem in question. As a result, the student may learn to analyze all future issues, using demonstration techniques systematically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This system helps the student to identify choke points in their understanding of math concepts, allowing the teacher to focus on the areas where the student struggles. Drawing out the problem helps the student to understand concepts and relationships in math problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many students do not get the opportunity to use demonstration in the classroom, unless they are in a dedicated study environment, such as with a tutor.  
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. Write Out the Problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some students may respond better to a demonstration that others. Typically, those individuals affected by dyscalculia are more visual than they are verbal in their communication skills. Therefore, some students may not belong in math class and should seek another learning path that involves other skills, such as the arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, some students may find that they relate to words better than images or numbers<\/a>. For this group, writing out math problems may provide the same benefit as using demonstration, as discussed in the example above.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those students who are dealing with dyscalculia, math problems take a general appearance, with numbers merely representing marks on a piece of paper. Talking through the problem with the student, and writing down a systemic approach to handling the calculation may help them understand how to overcome their issue with understanding the logic involved with problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing out the problem helps to create a relationship between the elements involved, helping to organize the information on hand while looking for a solution.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Break Up Tasks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you ever struggled at math in school, then you understand the issue of overwhelm caused by misunderstanding a concept or problem. However, students with dyscalculia <\/a>experience severe frustration and confusion when they cannot break through and grasp the issue at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of this misunderstanding, the student may decide to give up on their studies, resulting in a decline in their participation in class. One of the most effective strategies for dealing with this issue is to break up the problem into smaller chunks that allow the student to digest each component of the problem, helping them to overcome the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Separating a math problem into its components, and then working through them one-by-one in a systemic manner, may help to improve the student’s level of understanding. By using this approach, teachers do not overload the student with data that they cannot process, helping them to see connections between the elements involved in problem-solving strategies. 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. Use Visual Aids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We’ve already discussed how the use of demonstration can help students with dyscalculia overcome their learning disability<\/a> in math class. While using demonstration techniques is an incredibly powerful tool for helping explain the nature of problems to students, the teacher can amplify the effect with the use of visual aids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Props such as rulers, measuring cups, and counting blocks can help the teacher demonstrate the mechanics of the problem to the student in a visual manner. This technique is remarkably effective, but those students in advanced classes, such as junior high algebra, might not gain benefit from the use of props at this stage of their education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual cues help with basic calculations, such as subtracting 100 from 200. The teacher can measure our 200-ml of water, in a cup, then remove half of the water, asking the student to read the quantity of water left in the container using the measurements on the side of the prop.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

7.    Practice at Home <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s possible for students to overcome their dyscalculia if they receive the necessary support during their formative years. Parents of children who are dealing with dyscalculia should take an active approach to help their children overcome their condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quiz your child with general math problems, involving minor calculations, while you are out at the shops or in a restaurant. Ask your child to calculate the value of the menu items you order during your meal. When you are out shopping, ask them to add up the prices of all the things that they put in the cart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using real-world math applications places your child in an environment outside of the classroom where they learn the value of the skill of calculation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may surprise you to learn that your child is far more effective at using math outside of the classroom, due to the different stimulus <\/a>on the brain. They may struggle with addition in school but have no issues adding up the costs of candy bars at the grocery store.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

8.    Use Math Games<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is plenty that parents can do to improve their child’s math skills at home. We’ve already discussed the benefit of taking them shopping with you, but there are other techniques you can use at home to help your child improve their math skills and overcome their dyscalculia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pull out the Monopoly board for an evening of family fun. Monopoly helps your child with counting \u2013 ask them to count out each space as they progress around the board. Let them assist with the banking and counting of notes every time you have to make out a payment to another player. Remember to support and reward them with praise when they get the answers right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other math games, like Sudoku, can help your child <\/a>overcome their learning disability. Let them watch you while you complete a Sudoku, and let them contribute to the game. Other games like dominos and cards can help your child break through their dyscalculia as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

<\/div>