All About Dyscalculia: An Impediment in Mathematics

As part of a new series on additional learning needs, I will be sharing with you some descriptors of common learning difficulties and some hints and tips on identification of such needs and on supporting children for whom you have some concerns. These posts may be helpful to fellow teachers and parents alike.

Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty affecting a person’s ability to understand and process numbers, determine quantities, learn maths facts and perform number-based operations. The person’s mathematical difficulties are not caused by lack of educational opportunities.

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (APA, 2013) does not use the word dyscalculia, instead listing a specific learning disorder – an impediment in mathematics – evidenced by problems with:

Number sense
Memorisation of arithmetic facts
Accurate and fluent calculation
Accurate math reasoning.

As the term ‘dyscalculia’ continues to be used by many, I continue to use it in this blog post.

Despite the likelihood dyscalculia is as common as dyslexia (a term that is also no longer used in DSM-V), and therefore affecting some 5%-7% of students, it is significantly less well-known or recognised and research into it is much further behind. It is thought to be as prevalent in boys as in girls, but we do not know this for certain. There is, however, a strong association with females who have Turner Syndrome.

Be mindful that difficulties with mathematics are quite common and developing number sense can take quite some time; however, if a child’s difficulties are persistent, it is worth exploring them further and thinking about the appropriate supports to put in place.

What are Some of the Indicators of Dyscalculia?

The list that follows is very lengthy as there are many possible indicators of dyscalculia. Children with dyscalculia may:

Be delayed in learning to count, lose track when counting, or continue to count on their fingers long after their peers have stopped doing so. Older children may be seen making marks to represent each number when working with bigger numbers. For example with a sum such as 27 + 39 =, the child may make 27 marks (counting 1-27), then 39 marks (counting 1-39) and then counting from 1 to find the total. Counting other than from 1, i.e. counting on from a number other than 1, skip-counting, or counting backwards may be very difficult for your child.

Struggle to subitise. This refers to being automatically able to tell the amount of things in a small group without counting, e.g., being immediately able to tell what is on a dice they have rolled.

Be unable to tell which of two digits is larger, i.e. understanding the magnitude and relationship of numbers appears beyond the child’s grasp. Recognising quantities is a challenge.

Have difficulty recognising numbers. This may also extend to difficulties with name-face association and errors recalling names.
Children may struggle to connect the digits 1-5 with their corresponding words and understand the amounts these refer to.

Struggle to say, copy or write numbers down correctly – omissions, transpositions, substitutions and reversals may be evident. Your child may have trouble with place value, often putting numbers in the wrong column.
Find it hard to sequence numbers, to recall sequences of numbers or to remember a telephone number. This may extend to difficulties recognising patterns and placing things in order.
Have difficulty understanding concepts such biggest vs. smallest, how tall someone is or how high something is. Measuring items like ingredients in a simple recipe or liquids in a jug may be difficult.

- Consider the challenges posed by a Stroop test where you must say the colour rather than the word.

- Numerical Stroop tests – challenging for all of us – are exceedingly more so for those with dyscalulia. In the second image, students may be asked to tell which is bigger/smaller value-wise or size-wise.

3	5
5	3
3	5
3	3

Have difficulty learning and recalling maths facts, e.g., times tables and provide inconsistent answers when tasked with mental arithmetic. Finds mental calculations difficult.
Have challenges with math rules, applying formulas and following the correct order of operations.
Find it difficult to count money, understand prices, work out tips or change due. People with dyscalculia may hand cashiers far too cash, struggle with financial planning, budgeting and managing their money.

Find estimating and keeping track of time, working out how long a task may take, reading the clock, organising their schedules and following timetables a challenge. May often be late.

Find understanding word problems a challenge.
Struggle to understand fractions.
Find interpreting graphs and charts (visual-spatial concepts) very difficult.

Have difficulty recognising and naming shapes. Does you child get confused if shapes are presented from a different angle? Does (s)he find drawing shapes from memory difficult?
Find determining left from right and/or following direction signs a challenge. They may get lost even in places they have been to previously.

Find motor sequencing problematic, e.g. following dance/exercise routines or particular moves in sports.
Find judging speed or distance is difficult.
Find understanding the logic behind maths impossible.
Have poor working memory and find it difficult to hold numbers in their head while solving problems. As a result, you may notice your child saying the numbers aloud in a bid to remember them.
Struggle to visualise anything to do with number, e.g. the clock face or a map.

Demonstrate poor retention & retrieval of maths concepts. What they can do one day, they may be unable to the next.
Find learning to read music or play an instrument tricky.
Find keeping score in games difficult. Strategic games may also be a challenge for your child.
Experience frustration, distress, and anxiety, and seek to avoid maths where possible.

You may find this video helpful in explaining dyscalculia.

Steve Chinn has created this very useful Checklist for Dyscalculia.

https://www.dyslexia-codebreakers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Checklist-for-Dyscalculia-Steve-Chinn.pdf

What are the Causes of Dyscalculia?

As mentioned, much more research into dyscalculia is required, so we have no definitive answers yet as to cause.

There may be a genetic component to dyscalculia. Mathematical aptitude tends to run in families, as do learning disabilities. Distinguishing whether a child’s difficulties are genetically inherited or arise because of family culture is difficult. Our society tends to deem it acceptable to be ‘bad’ at maths, so parents often pass on the message to the children that mathematics was something they found challenging and therefore are not surprised their child does too.

Another school of thought is that maths is not adequately taught in schools with children expected to think in abstract terms before they are developmentally ready to. A lack of concrete early instruction means children fail to develop the neural pathways needed to understand more complicated mathematical frameworks. We know student achievement is strongly influenced by teacher levels of expertise. In many classrooms, mathematical expertise and knowledge of the developmental appropriateness of tasks is missing.

Our child-rearing and socialisation practices are likely also to influence mathematical attainment. Typically, girls do better than boys in mathematics in the early years, Thereafter, boys tend to dominate. One researcher, Sharma, suggests this is because we move girls away from the toys that support the development of spatial organisation abilities. Girls are given the message building blocks, Lego, outdoor activities and many sports are for boys meaning they lose the opportunity to play in ways that promote space/motion judgement, symmetry, part-to-whole constructions, and development of visualisation, muscle memory, and geometric principles.

Other possible causes include neurobiological brain disorders, being born prematurely or memory problems related to the environment, such as exposure to alcohol/drugs in the womb.

How is Dyscalculia Diagnosed?

If you have concerns about your child’s mathematical development, it is important to discuss these with your child’s teacher. As a first step, it will be important to rule out any hearing or vision issues so you will likely be advised to make an appointment with your GP. They will likely ask for information about medical and family history in order to rule out other possible diagnoses.

If your child’s performance in mathematics is significantly behind that of their peers, the school should have additional supports in place, e.g., further differentiation of work, review of basic maths concepts, use of additional concrete materials, provision of additional small-group/1:1 support or a specialised maths programme.

If all of these have been provided and the difficulties continue, your child may be referred to a Learning Support Teacher or the school SENCO who will provide further guidance to you as parents and the class teacher and may introduce further interventions and supports.

Pana Math offers an online test which gives insight into number sense.
This Steve Chinn manual offers ideas on assessments teachers may carry out.

http://seniainternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/SENIA.Diagnosis.2017.pdf

If a child demonstrates persistent difficulties, the school may recommend a referral to an Educational Psychologist who will undertake further testing to establish if the child has dyscalculia and will provide further guidance to school and parents on supporting the child. This should take into account your child’s individual talents, needs, and interests.

How is Dyscalculia Treated?

An early diagnosis of dyscalculia can make a big difference in a child’s life as they learn to understand the reason for their difficulties and they (and those working with them) are given strategies and tools to help them. Whilst mastering mathematical concepts may always be more challenging for children with dyscalculia, it is not impossible.

How Can I Help my Child?

Children with dyscalculia may suffer quite a bit of maths anxiety. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for making life easier for them:

Play lots of board games involving dice.
Play dominoes.
Play card games.
Try timed activity challenges to support development of a sense of time.
Encourage your child to help you with cooking. Have them count or weigh out ingredients and measure liquids with you.
Get your child to help you with shopping. Can (s)he help you to find the items on the list? Can (s)he read the prices of items? Can (s)he figure out how much 2 things will cost? Allow him/her to pay for an item. How much does it cost? How much money do they have? What change should they expect? Were they given the correct change? Build up from easier challenges to those your child finds more difficult. Allow him/her to use a calculator to help with working out costs if necessary. Having your child help with online ordering where they feel less conspicuous or under time pressure is great too.
When planning to leave the house, tell your child the time you will depart. Have him/her show you that time on a toy clock. Can (s)he tell you when it is time to go by reading a real clock?
Try orienteering. Create simple maps for your child to follow. Can your child draw their own maps?
As you are out and about, look for numbers in the environment. Point to a door number on the street and ask what will be next? Are the houses numbered in order or are odd and even on opposite sides of the road? Look at traffic signs and discuss directions to various places.
Practise counting in different ways. Count on from a number other than 1, skip count, and count backwards. Introduce this in ways that feel non-threatening for your child, e.g., counting steps as they climb them; sharing out toys or sweets; counting out the cutlery needed to set the table.
Eventually we will hope to build sufficient number sense that counting on fingers is unnecessary; until that happens, allow your child to use their fingers for counting. Supplement this by providing access to a number line. (S)he can even use a ruler for this.
Play a game where you create piles of items and try to guess how many are in the pile. Doing this with socks as you sort the laundry is a good idea. Have your child then pair the socks and count how many there are.
Have your child help you to set the table. Can (s)he correctly lay out a place setting for each member of the family?
Play a game where you are packing to go on holidays. What toiletries can go in hand luggage and which ones are too large? How many items of each piece of clothing are needed for the duration of the trip?
Encourage your child to work in pencil and keep an eraser to hand so that mistakes can be fixed.
Allow use of a calculator to ease working memory load.
Rule a separate section of the page so workings out can be shown.
Use squared paper so that your child can line up numbers correctly.
Use rhythm, rhyme and music to support acquisition of times tables. Not every set needs to be learned – can your child master 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10? In terms of learning times tables, the following sites may be helpful for your child. Please note some may involve a fee.
- Youtube –Mr DeMaio’s Multiplication Songs
- Maths Rockx
- Times Tables Rock Stars
Talk through written problems and draw pictures to support understanding them.
Find some maths games and apps your child enjoys and schedule in time for playing them.
Be open with your child in discussing their difficulties and listening to their concerns.
Praise their work effort; do not focus on test scores.
Identify ways to manage anxiety, e.g., breathing exercises, using a fidget toy etc.
Ronit Bird is one of the foremost teachers and authors on the topic of dyscalculia. Her website is highly informative. I recommend you try some of her games with your child.
Talk to teachers privately about your child’s condition and educational needs. You may want to ask for the following:
- A quiet work space
- Use of a calculator during math class and tests
- Extra time to complete tests
- The option to record lessons

Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty affecting a person’s ability to understand and process numbers, determine quantities, learn maths facts and perform number-based operations. The person’s mathematical difficulties are not caused by lack of educational opportunities.

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (APA, 2013) does not use the word dyscalculia, instead listing a specific learning disorder – an impediment in mathematics – evidenced by problems with:

Number sense

Memorisation of arithmetic facts

Accurate and fluent calculation

Accurate math reasoning.

As the term ‘dyscalculia’ continues to be used by many, I continue to use it in this blog post.

Be mindful that difficulties with mathematics are quite common and developing number sense can take quite some time; however, if a child’s difficulties are persistent, it is worth exploring them further and thinking about the appropriate supports to put in place.

What are Some of the Indicators of Dyscalculia?

The list that follows is very lengthy as there are many possible indicators of dyscalculia. Children with dyscalculia may:

Struggle to subitise. This refers to being automatically able to tell the amount of things in a small group without counting, e.g., being immediately able to tell what is on a dice they have rolled.

Be unable to tell which of two digits is larger, i.e. understanding the magnitude and relationship of numbers appears beyond the child’s grasp. Recognising quantities is a challenge.

Have difficulty recognising numbers. This may also extend to difficulties with name-face association and errors recalling names.

Children may struggle to connect the digits 1-5 with their corresponding words and understand the amounts these refer to.

Struggle to say, copy or write numbers down correctly – omissions, transpositions, substitutions and reversals may be evident. Your child may have trouble with place value, often putting numbers in the wrong column.

Find it hard to sequence numbers, to recall sequences of numbers or to remember a telephone number. This may extend to difficulties recognising patterns and placing things in order.

Have difficulty understanding concepts such biggest vs. smallest, how tall someone is or how high something is. Measuring items like ingredients in a simple recipe or liquids in a jug may be difficult.

Consider the challenges posed by a Stroop test where you must say the colour rather than the word.

Numerical Stroop tests – challenging for all of us – are exceedingly more so for those with dyscalulia. In the second image, students may be asked to tell which is bigger/smaller value-wise or size-wise.

5

5

3

3

5

3

Have difficulty learning and recalling maths facts, e.g., times tables and provide inconsistent answers when tasked with mental arithmetic. Finds mental calculations difficult.

Have challenges with math rules, applying formulas and following the correct order of operations.

Find it difficult to count money, understand prices, work out tips or change due. People with dyscalculia may hand cashiers far too cash, struggle with financial planning, budgeting and managing their money.

Find estimating and keeping track of time, working out how long a task may take, reading the clock, organising their schedules and following timetables a challenge. May often be late.

Find understanding word problems a challenge.

Struggle to understand fractions.

Find interpreting graphs and charts (visual-spatial concepts) very difficult.

Have difficulty recognising and naming shapes. Does you child get confused if shapes are presented from a different angle? Does (s)he find drawing shapes from memory difficult?

Find determining left from right and/or following direction signs a challenge. They may get lost even in places they have been to previously.

Find motor sequencing problematic, e.g. following dance/exercise routines or particular moves in sports.

Find judging speed or distance is difficult.

Find understanding the logic behind maths impossible.

Have poor working memory and find it difficult to hold numbers in their head while solving problems. As a result, you may notice your child saying the numbers aloud in a bid to remember them.

Struggle to visualise anything to do with number, e.g. the clock face or a map.

Demonstrate poor retention & retrieval of maths concepts. What they can do one day, they may be unable to the next.

Find learning to read music or play an instrument tricky.

Find keeping score in games difficult. Strategic games may also be a challenge for your child.

Experience frustration, distress, and anxiety, and seek to avoid maths where possible.

You may find this video helpful in explaining dyscalculia.

Steve Chinn has created this very useful Checklist for Dyscalculia.

What are the Causes of Dyscalculia?

As mentioned, much more research into dyscalculia is required, so we have no definitive answers yet as to cause.

Other possible causes include neurobiological brain disorders, being born prematurely or memory problems related to the environment, such as exposure to alcohol/drugs in the womb.

How is Dyscalculia Diagnosed?

If all of these have been provided and the difficulties continue, your child may be referred to a Learning Support Teacher or the school SENCO who will provide further guidance to you as parents and the class teacher and may introduce further interventions and supports.

Pana Math offers an online test which gives insight into number sense.

This Steve Chinn manual offers ideas on assessments teachers may carry out.

How is Dyscalculia Treated?

How Can I Help my Child?

Children with dyscalculia may suffer quite a bit of maths anxiety. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for making life easier for them:

Play lots of board games involving dice.

Play dominoes.

Play card games.

Try timed activity challenges to support development of a sense of time.

Encourage your child to help you with cooking. Have them count or weigh out ingredients and measure liquids with you.

When planning to leave the house, tell your child the time you will depart. Have him/her show you that time on a toy clock. Can (s)he tell you when it is time to go by reading a real clock?

Try orienteering. Create simple maps for your child to follow. Can your child draw their own maps?

As you are out and about, look for numbers in the environment. Point to a door number on the street and ask what will be next? Are the houses numbered in order or are odd and even on opposite sides of the road? Look at traffic signs and discuss directions to various places.

Practise counting in different ways. Count on from a number other than 1, skip count, and count backwards. Introduce this in ways that feel non-threatening for your child, e.g., counting steps as they climb them; sharing out toys or sweets; counting out the cutlery needed to set the table.

Eventually we will hope to build sufficient number sense that counting on fingers is unnecessary; until that happens, allow your child to use their fingers for counting. Supplement this by providing access to a number line. (S)he can even use a ruler for this.

Play a game where you create piles of items and try to guess how many are in the pile. Doing this with socks as you sort the laundry is a good idea. Have your child then pair the socks and count how many there are.

Have your child help you to set the table. Can (s)he correctly lay out a place setting for each member of the family?

Play a game where you are packing to go on holidays. What toiletries can go in hand luggage and which ones are too large? How many items of each piece of clothing are needed for the duration of the trip?

Encourage your child to work in pencil and keep an eraser to hand so that mistakes can be fixed.

Allow use of a calculator to ease working memory load.

Rule a separate section of the page so workings out can be shown.

Use squared paper so that your child can line up numbers correctly.

Use rhythm, rhyme and music to support acquisition of times tables. Not every set needs to be learned – can your child master 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10? In terms of learning times tables, the following sites may be helpful for your child. Please note some may involve a fee.

Youtube –Mr DeMaio’s Multiplication Songs

Maths Rockx

Times Tables Rock Stars

Talk through written problems and draw pictures to support understanding them.

Find some maths games and apps your child enjoys and schedule in time for playing them.

Be open with your child in discussing their difficulties and listening to their concerns.

Praise their work effort; do not focus on test scores.