What is Dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is a congenital condition in around 5%-8% of the population and affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. There has been much less research on dyscalculia than on dyslexia and dyspraxia; it appears currently that boys and girls are equally affected. There is considerable overlap between dyslexia and dyscalculia.
The dyscalculic child may have difficulty with the following:
- Problems with the language of maths
- Problems with sequences
- Problems with the basic concept of numbers
- Confusion over left and right
- Difficulty in recognising patterns
- Working memory issues
- Lacking confidence in ability to do even basic number work
Specialist teaching is needed for children to overcome their dyscalculic difficulties. Multi-sensory teaching is vital in order that we can teach from the tangible to the conceptual. We need to start with what the child already knows and move forward in small steps relating maths to their everyday lives as far as possible so that it makes sense to the learner.