Dyscalculia Treatment

Dyscalculia is a learning disability affecting children and adults who struggle with math and numbers. Affected persons may have trouble with basic calculations, memorizing numbers or keeping track of the score in a game. Strategies have been developed to help students struggling with dyscalculia.

Treatment

• Students with dyscalculia require tutoring outside of school. By removing the pressures and stress of the classroom, a tutor can focus specifically on the child's needs and move at the student's pace. In a school setting, a student can be forced to move to a new topic before he has mastered the previous one. Since students with this condition may take longer to grasp a mathematical concept, afterschool tutoring is essential.

Tips & Tricks

• Certain practices have been shown to help students with dyscalculia. For instance, graph paper instead of blank sheets may help with spatial organization. Exercising the skill of estimation will get the student imagining math in his head, which is an important technique to learn. Also, students are often more able to understand tangible processes before abstract ones. For instance, if a student struggles with simple addition, using small objects as a demonstration can clarify the concept. Finally, make sure the student studies in an environment with no distractions--no television, no computers and no outdoors.