こんにちは! Hello!
This entry won't be as long as the last one. Today I just want to share the explanatory synthesis I mentioned. A couple semesters back I was taking a college writing class and our final for the semester was composing a paper that explores a topic we are passionate about in a similar way to a research paper but without a hypothesis etc. The goal was simply to do research, and compile it for an academic audience. I chose LD's (learning disabilities) because I am studying teaching, and this was a topic I had in a different course. LD's run in my family on both sides, and I have only been discovering my own as an adult as it is not commonly known, and I was diagnosed "by mistake".
Attention: This paper is my own work and is important to me, if you would like to use it or reference it please contact me for permission and give me credit where it is due. I am happy to share my work, that is why I created this Blog.
Thank you for reading and feel free to leave a comment!
Supporting Developmental
Dyscalculia in the Classroom
Kristina Ruplinger
Bachelor of Science
in Professional Studies
Brigham Young
University - Idaho
ENG 150: Writing/Reasoning
Foundation
Jennifer Ann Taylor
July 20, 2023
Understanding Developmental Dyscalculia
Imagine you are a child, excited to attend primary school where you will see friends, try new things, and have fun! In the first years of school everything is fine. You learn, you make mistakes, you get good grades and are rewarded for each achievement. As you complete each year and move up to the next grade level, you begin to dislike certain parts of school, which is a common experience for most children. You do well in some subjects, and you find other subjects a struggle, but you still manage to do well. A couple more years pass by, and you are performing as expected, but there is just one subject that seems more difficult than the rest. Each year the subject matter becomes much more difficult despite your efforts. You get extra help from your teachers, parents, and tutoring. You feel pressure because you don’t want to let anyone down, including yourself. You get more frustrated as you continue to fail while everyone moves forward in the subject matter. Your self-esteem plummets, and you tell yourself you’re not very smart. Maybe other students spend more time on it, you are just lazy or why can't you put into practice what the teacher has explained repeatedly? What is it that you don't understand? Why can't you ask clarifying questions? Are you so incapable?
This is a common experience for those with a neuro-divergent brain in the classroom, specifically for those with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia, Developmental Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia and Dyspraxia and more. Many people have heard of ADHD and dyslexia, yet very few have heard of dyscalculia despite statistics showing a prevalence in the population of 3-7% (Kaufmann, 2008) indicating developmental dyscalculia to be as common as dyslexia.
Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart from the Gottman Institute shares her expertise on learning differences and neurodiverse-brains through online platforms such as Instagram, to spread awareness and understanding, “Being neurodiverse isn't negative, but rather states that a person's brain differences affect how their brain works and how it functions differently from the larger neurotypical group." (Lockhart,2023). In this essay I will address stigmas and misunderstandings associated specifically to developmental dyscalculia, discuss the challenges and problems faced in the classroom, and explain and propose research-based solutions and accommodations that do and don't work well as support in the classroom.
It is within reason to suppose that those who have learning differences should believe they are any less capable or have less opportunities academically or occupationally than those with a neurotypical brain and it begins with sharing information to create awareness and understanding. Although developmental dyscalculia is lacking in research compared to other learning differences, there is enough to provide support in the classroom and my intent is to spread awareness and understanding that benefits those with developmental dyscalculia and those who support them, such as parents, teachers, and administrators.
What are Learning Differences and Developmental Dyscalculia?
According to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE, 2003), developmental dyscalculia is primarily a discrepancy of a person’s cognitive ability in mathematics and developmental level with no obvious explanation. Students will generally have difficulty with conceptualizing numbers, number relationships, money, reading music, direction, estimating, computation, rote counting, rules and formulae, sequencing, time management and more. A student’s ability in each of these areas will vary depending on severity. Dyscalculia is often misunderstood or confused in its definition as ‘dyslexia with numbers’ and while some students may struggle with reading and writing numbers, dyslexia is an entirely different learning difference and the two should be kept separate from one another to prevent false assumptions. It is possible for a student to have both learning differences, and while a student with developmental dyscalculia will not struggle with normal reading and writing, a student with dyslexia can struggle with mathematics without having diagnosable developmental dyscalculia.
It is important to note that there is a significant difference between a disorder and a disability. To clear up stigma about learning disabilities (preferably known as learning differences) understanding must be established that, “a disorder is any disease that aggravates the health of a man. Disorders prevent a man’s execution and decrease his/her proficiency.” (Jin, 2016). Whereas a disability is, “…frequently associated with the body parts of an individual. Disabilities can be portrayed into different kinds, for example, physical disability, partial disability, mental disability, olfactory inability, sensory disability, [learning] disability and so forth.” (Jin, 2016). Learning disabilities or differences are therefore an unchangeable or untreatable state of a person’s mind and should be taken into consideration in the classroom.
What About the Classroom?
Commonly practiced in many schools is offering accommodations to learning for those with any kind of disability, handicap or learning difference. Due to there being more research for certain needs than others, a gap has been left leaving those with certain challenges to continue to struggle, although the argument can be made that they have been receiving appropriate support. For example, a common accommodation for those with learning differences is to be allowed a calculator and more time on a test. For a person with dyscalculia being allotted more time is helpful due to the nature of the learning difference, yet for someone with ADHD, being allotted more time is useless and compounding the problem, as this is counterintuitive to how ADHD works. In retrospect, while giving a calculator to someone with dyscalculia does offer support, it doesn’t afford the same aide as more time does (having more time combats the math anxiety that commonly accompanies dyscalculia). The reason being is that a calculator does not assist with the concept or nature of mathematics to comprehend it, a calculator is simply a precision tool to speed up the process.
Kath Graves, a specialized educator in the UK for dyscalculia talks about the need for recognition of what will benefit children in the classroom. She explains that rote learning simply doesn’t work for the dyscalculic brain and that worksheets, timed tests, rote memorization-all common practice in the classroom- will never work and will leave a child feeling helpless and defeated (2018). Graves (2018) explains in her article that diagnosing developmental dyscalculia early on in a child’s development and knowing what methods to use while working with children will support the affected student and lessen the burden of learning mathematics.
Parallel to this research and practice of catching developmental dyscalculia in the early developmental years, there is lack of research and support for adults in academics. An article published in the UK by Alma Economics (2023) identifies that an unprecedented number of adults possess only lower-level skills in mathematics and the effects this ultimately has on the population. Without the ability to use the thinking skills learned through math, people are forced to accept the burden of having lower qualifications and lower paid occupations. A common pattern is that many students with dyscalculia end up never graduating from secondary school or continuing to university level education. Many end up becoming a burden of the state or even to their families (Alma Economics, 2023). This is another reason that awareness of learning differences is so vital for everyone, not just in a child’s classroom.
Fitting accommodations can be made available at all educational levels and there are existing solutions and resources such as the nonprofit organization dyscalculia.org (Dyscalculia.org,1985), where both students and universities can find information, resources and tools that are readily available to be implemented to accommodate students with developmental dyscalculia. Despite the gap in research in comparison to other learning differences, there are enough results to begin implementing accommodations for children, adolescents, and adults in their academic pursuits. Medical doctors, scientists, Educators, and non-profit organizations continue to provide research to end stigma and encourage improvement in academic organizations.
As previously mentioned, dyscalculia.org, a non-profit organization founded in Michigan, USA has global reach, helping hundreds of people to come together to create better understanding and learning related to developmental dyscalculia. This organization is dedicated to informing, diagnosing, supporting, and enabling those with developmental dyscalculia and other learning differences, to have a chance at higher education free of discrimination. By providing resources to read and learn about developmental dyscalculia as well as forms for applying for accommodations or modifications that appropriately support this learning difference (1985), as well as providing references and links to educational institutions and programs that can work together with a student’s current school or university to provide a program or course that is catered to the challenges that a neuro-diverse student with dyscalculia faces (Newman, 2020).
A considerable contribution is being made by other non-profit organizations to spread awareness and support parents and educators as well as adults with learning differences. By making knowledge of learning differences more commonplace, designing the classroom to work with neuro-diverse students, such as the Universal Design for Learning (Reading Rockets.2023) will become easier. Learning Disabilities Association of America is another organization working towards educating the public and providing resources:
Learning disabilities are due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors
that alter brain functioning in a manner which affects one or more
cognitive processes related to learning. These processing problems
can interfere with learning basic skills such as reading, writing and/or math.
They can also interfere with higher level skills such as organization,
time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short-term memory and attention.
It is important to realize that learning disabilities can affect an individual’s
life beyond academics and can impact relationships with family, friends and in the workplace. (LDAA,2021)
When dealing with students who have any learning disability -not only dyscalculia- it is also imperative that educators and parents understand that due to negative experiences many people with learning differences are prone to varying forms of mental illness associated with school, making mistakes, the subject matter itself, low self-esteem, depression or hyper aggression that is potentially directly linked to the experiences of dealing with an undiagnosed learning difference (Haberstroh,2019). It is worth mentioning that ADHD/ADD, more commonly, are accompanied by a learning difference such as dyslexia or dyscalculia and there is not a limit to how many a person can have (2019).
Developing awareness of learning differences and how to appropriately accommodate them in the classroom, whether primary or university level is no easy task. This requires teachers to learn new methods and skills, parents to be accepting of what they potentially don’t understand and for those directly affected to be able to accept their circumstances for what they are without prejudice or making assumptions about themselves and what they are capable of in or outside the classroom and in the workplace.
Conclusion
The key element in making a difference is getting rid of the stigma that neurodiversity means there is a problem. The transition from using the term learning disabilities to using the term learning differences is a big step in changing how dyscalculia and other learning differences are viewed. The Universal Design for Learning concept is a great tool helping to create classrooms where necessary adjustments can be made for developmental dyscalculia and other needs. It is my goal and vision to see these solutions becoming more commonly known and made available to be applied in educational institutions as a form of ‘catching-it-early’ and to support those who have been overlooked in their learning pursuits to better support them in their academic and occupational futures in an effort to better society.
References
Lockhart A.L. Gottman Institute. Instagram. (@anewdaypsych,2023)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuAg9kzSqgj/
Graves, K. Dyscalculia: the hidden classroom problem. (2018, March 16). Lancashire Evening Post [Preston, England]. https://link-gale-com.byui.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A531280582/HRCA?u=byuidaho&sid=bookmark-HRCA&xid=89f944ad
Haberstroh S.& Schulte-Körne G. The Diagnosis and Treatment of Dyscalculia. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2019 Feb 15;116(7):107-114. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2019.0107. PMID: 30905334; PMCID: PMC6440373.
Jin.2016. Researchpedia: Academic Heaven. The medical difference between disorder and disability. https://researchpedia.info/difference-between-disorder-and-disability/
Kaufmann L. Dyscalculia: neuroscience and education. Educ Res (Windsor). 2008 Jun;50(2):163-175. Doi:10.1080/00131880802082658. PMID: 21258625; PMCID: PMC3024534.
LDAA. Learning Disabilities Association of America. Types of learning disabilities. https://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/
NCSE. National Council for Special Education. (2003). Dyscalculia.
https://www.sess.ie/categories/specific-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia
Newman R.M., M.S, M.Ed., Founder, Dyscalculia.org. Published February 24, 2020.
https://www.dyscalculia.org/dyscalculia/school-accommodations
Alma Economics. Numeracy skills interventions for adults. (19+): a systematic review of the evidence summary. (2023, March 7). European Union News, NA. https://link-gale-com.byui.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A740301663/ITBC?u=byuidaho&sid=ebsco&xid=945bdaac
Reading Rockets.org. (2023) Reading Rockets is a national public media literacy initiative offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/universal-design-learning-udl-what-you-need-know
