If you are coming here from our "Understanding YOUR Child's Learning Challenges" quiz to learn more about your child’s areas of concern, WELCOME!
Now that you've taken our brief quiz, below is a detailed checklist that will help you confirm if the area identified by the quiz is a significant concern.
If you notice these signs, you may want to consider using the information as we guide you through the steps of requesting an initial evaluation from the school
If you haven't yet taken our quiz
What is a Specific Learning Disability in Math/ Dyscalculia?
As parents, we naturally want to understand and support our children's learning journeys. When we see our children having difficulty
understanding numbers, concepts like fractions or decimals, or completing math problems, we can't help but wonder if the difficulty comes from the challenge of trying to learn a new concept or from something more.
If you've noticed your child struggling significantly with math, it might be more than just a challenge—it could be a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in Math, also known as dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is a learning difference that affects a person's ability to understand and work with numbers, making math-related tasks particularly challenging and frustrating.
A Specific Learning Disability in Math (or Dyscalculia) is a learning difference that makes it hard for someone to understand and work with numbers. People with an SLD in Math might struggle to add or subtract numbers, remember multiplication tables, understand fractions, handle money, or understand time. It can make math class feel challenging and frustrating.
To help you visualize what dyscalculia might look like and perhaps help you better relate to and understand this learning challenge, we selected a penguin as the symbol for dyscalculia in children.
Why we chose a penguin to describe these students:
Imagine a penguin, graceful in the water but awkward on land. Similarly, a child with dyscalculia might excel in other areas but find math concepts challenging, needing extra support to develop strategies that work for them.
Characteristics of SLD in Math/ Dyscalculia: A Parent's Checklist
We've created this checklist to help you identify if your child might have a Specific Learning Disability in Math. It outlines common characteristics and provides real-life examples to illustrate these challenges. This guide can be an essential first step in recognizing the signs of dyscalculia and seeking the appropriate support for your child.
Does your child have...?
Difficulty Understanding Numbers:
Struggles to understand what numbers mean.
Finds it hard to count or remember number sequences.
Example: Sarah struggles to understand the difference between "3" and "30" when reading them aloud or writing them down. She may not know that 30 is more than 3.
Trouble with Basic Math Operations:
Difficulty adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Makes frequent mistakes in math calculations.
Counts on fingers at an age where this would be unexpected.
Example: John often makes mistakes when adding or subtracting numbers, such as getting the answer wrong when calculating 7 - 4.
Trouble Grasping Math Concepts:
Finds it hard to understand mathematical concepts like fractions, decimals, or percentages.
Example: Michael struggles to understand fractions, finding it hard to grasp the concept that 1/2 is the same as 0.5 or that 1/4 is smaller than 1/2.
Difficulty with Math Symbols and Terms:
Confusion with math symbols like +, -, x, ÷.
Struggles with understanding math terms like "greater than" or "less than."
Example: Alex frequently confuses the plus (+) and minus (-) symbols, sometimes adding numbers when he's supposed to subtract.
Challenges with Learning Math Facts:
Finds it hard to memorize multiplication tables or other basic math facts.
Example: David finds it challenging to memorize multiplication tables, often forgetting the answers to basic multiplication problems like 6 x 7.
Struggles with Word Problems:
Finds it hard to understand and solve word problems, even if they understand the math operations involved.
Example: Susan finds it hard to figure out how many apples Sally has left if she had 8 apples and gave away 3.
Difficulty Estimating or Approximating:
Finds it hard to estimate quantities or sizes.
Example: Lily has trouble estimating how many objects are in a group without counting them one by one, even if there are only a few.
A Poor Sense of Time:
Difficulty understanding the concept of time.
Struggles to read clocks or understand schedules.
Example: Emily has trouble reading analog clocks and often doesn't understand how long a certain period of time, like 15 minutes, actually is.
Challenges with Spatial Awareness:
Difficulty understanding spatial relationships, like left and right.
Struggles with geometry or visualizing shapes.
Example: Emma has difficulty understanding directions like "turn left" or "go right," often getting confused about which way to go.
Trouble Organizing Math Work:
Difficulty organizing math problems on paper or keeping track of steps in multi-step problems.
Example: Michael has messy and disorganized math assignments with jumbled numbers and calculations that are hard to follow.
A Slow Math Processing Speed:
Takes longer than peers to complete math assignments or tests, even when trying their best.
Example: Alex takes much longer than his classmates to complete math tests, even though he studies and tries his best.
Inconsistent Math Skills:
Shows uneven math skills, excelling in some areas while struggling in others.
Example: Jason performs well in arithmetic but struggles with understanding geometry concepts like angles and shapes.
Avoidance of Math-related Activities:
Dislikes or avoids activities that involve math, like counting money or measuring.
Example: Thomas avoids participating in math games or activities in class, often finding excuses to skip or delay them.
These are just a few examples of the characteristics someone with an SLD in Math (or Dyscalculia) might experience. It's important to
remember that an SLD in Math can vary from person to person, and individuals may experience a combination of these characteristics to differing degrees.
If you think your child may have dyscalculia and is struggling in school and you're not sure what to do next, contact us at My Happy Teacher to learn more about how we can help.
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