A learning differencethat mainly involves difficulty with reading. Dyslexia can affect writing and spelling, too. It can alsoimpact math.
A learning differencethat causes trouble withmakingsense of numbers and math concepts.
- Struggles with reading
- Has trouble sounding out words
- Has difficulty memorizing sight words
- Doesn’t remember items on a shopping list, phone numbers, or game scores (has trouble with working memory)
- Avoids reading aloud
- Has poor spelling and grammar
- Doesn’t understand what’s read
- Confuses the order of letters
- Spells the same word differently in the same essay
- Has trouble learning to count
- Has troubledoing basic computation
- Doesn’t automatically recall math facts
- Doesn’t “get” math concepts like“greater than” and “less than”
- Struggles to make sense of graphs and charts
- Doesn’t remember items on a shopping list, phone numbers, or game scores (has trouble with working memory)
- Avoids games that involve numbers and counting, likeCandy Land
- Still uses fingers tocount, even after being taught other approaches
- Struggles to apply math skills in daily life, likemaking change or figuring out a tip
Struggling with reading can make kids feel inferior to their peers and can impact self-esteem. Kids with dyslexia may be embarrassed to read aloud.
Kids with dyslexia may have a hard time understanding jokes or sarcasm. Taking extra time to come up with words or to answer questions can make fitting in hard, too. Learn more about how dyslexia can impact kids’ social life.
Ongoing trouble with mathcan shake kids’ confidence. That can make themquestion their abilities in other subject areas.
Kids might also avoid playing games or sports that involve math and keeping score. See more ways dyscalculia can affect kids’ social life.
- Specific instruction on identifying sounds, understanding how letters represent sounds in speech, and decoding words
- Specialized instruction, either one-on-one or in a small group
- A reading program that focuses on using all the senses to learn (multisensory approach)
- Text-to-speech tools
- Specific instruction on learning and retrieving math facts
- Being taughtstrategies and how to apply them to different math problems
- Specialized instruction, either one-on-one or in a small group
- Tutoring or teaching with a multisensory approach (can help kids find different ways tograsp and use math concepts)
- Hands-on math tools like a multiplication pegboard
- Extra time on tests
- Extra time for reading and writing
- Access to the teacher’s notes from the lesson to reduce the amount of note-taking
- Simplified directions
- Using audiobooks
- Shortened assignments
- Pictures of directions and schedules
- Giving sentence starters so kids know how to begin a written response
- Letting studentsshow understanding in different ways (oral reports, video presentations, etc.)
- Lettingstudents respond in different ways, likeanswering verbally, having larger spaces for writing, or circling answers instead of filling in blanks
- Extra time on tests
- Access to a chart of math facts or multiplication tables
- Using a calculator when not being tested on computation
- Having worksheets broken down into sections
- Using manipulatives like coins and blocks for in-class learning
- Graph paper toline up numbers and problems
- Access to a list of math formulas taught in class
- Separate worksheets for word problems and number problems
- Highlighting key words and numbers on word problems
- Daily review of math skills; pre-teaching new and important concepts
- Read aloud often.
- Encourage your child to listen to audiobooks.
- Use technology to help with reading.
- For younger kids, recite nursery rhymes and sing memory songs.
Explore more ways to help kids with dyslexia at home.
- Use small objects, such as cereal pieces, to solve simple math problems.
- Introduce board games, card games, and computer games that provide math practice.
- Break down math homework into smaller, more manageable chunks. For example, have your child do five problems, take a short break, then move on to the next five.
Explore more ways to help kids with dyscalculia at home.
Certainly! Dyslexia and dyscalculia are complex learning differences that can significantly impact an individual's academic and social life. Let's delve into the concepts and solutions mentioned in the article:
Dyslexia:
What it is:
- Learning Difference: Primarily affects reading, but also impacts writing, spelling, and math comprehension.
- Signs & Symptoms: Difficulties in reading, trouble sounding out words, poor spelling, challenges in memorization, struggles with understanding written text, confusion with letter order, trouble with basic computation and math concepts, difficulty with graphs/charts, working memory issues, and avoidance of activities involving reading or numbers.
Possible Social and Emotional Impact:
- Impact on Self-Esteem: Struggling with reading may lead to feelings of inferiority and affect self-esteem.
- Social Challenges: Difficulties in understanding jokes, sarcasm, and delays in responses may hinder social interactions and fitting in.
Solutions and Support:
- Specialized Instruction: Focused on phonemic awareness, letter-sound association, decoding words, multisensory reading programs.
- Technology Support: Text-to-speech tools to aid in reading.
- Math Support: Specialized instruction in learning and recalling math facts, strategies for understanding math concepts, hands-on tools for math practice.
- Social and Emotional Support: Creating an inclusive environment, building confidence, and addressing social challenges.
Home-based Support:
- Reading: Encouraging reading aloud, listening to audiobooks, using technology for reading assistance.
- Math: Using everyday objects for simple math, incorporating games for math practice, breaking down homework into manageable sections.
Dyscalculia:
What it is:
- Learning Difference: Primarily affects mathematical understanding, numbers, and math concepts.
- Signs & Symptoms: Struggles with counting, basic computation, understanding math concepts, applying math skills in daily life, and challenges in using math tools like graphs and charts.
Possible Social and Emotional Impact:
- Confidence Issues: Ongoing struggles in math may lead to a lack of confidence in other subjects.
- Social Avoidance: Avoiding games/sports involving math, impacting social participation.
Solutions and Support:
- Specialized Math Instruction: One-on-one or small group teaching, multisensory approaches, strategies to grasp and use math concepts.
- Tools and Accommodations: Manipulatives, additional time, simplified directions, use of calculators, breaking down worksheets, highlighting key information, providing varied response options.
Home-based Support:
- Math Practice: Using small objects for math problems, incorporating math-based games, breaking down homework, and exploring various ways to aid learning.
Both dyslexia and dyscalculia benefit from a combination of specialized education, technological assistance, social and emotional support, and home-based activities tailored to individual needs.
