Early
childhood
Discalculia is rarely identified early. studies have been done to try to identify predictors of potential mathematical disability. The main predictors include:
- Not knowing which of
two digits is larger, i.e. understanding the meaning of numbers
- Lacking effective
counting strategies
- Poor fluency in
identification of numbers
- Inability to add simple
single-digit numbers mentally and
- Limitations in working
memory capacity.
School-age
children
- Poor mathematical
concept development
- Lack of understanding
of mathematical terms
- Confusion over printed
symbols and signs
- Difficulty solving
basic maths problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division.
- Poor memory of number
facts (i.e. times tables)
- Trouble in applying
their knowledge and skills to solve maths problems.
- Weakness in
visual-spatial skills, where a person may understand the required maths
facts, but has difficulty putting them down on paper in an organized way.
- Frequent reversal of
single figures and reversal of tens and units (e.g. 34 written as 43)
- Difficulty in reading
text compound the student’s problem in maths.
Teenagers
& Adults
If basic maths facts are not mastered, many teenagers and adults with dyscalculia may have difficulty moving on to more advanced maths applicaitons. Language processing disabilities can make it difficult for a person to grasp the vocabulary of maths. Without a clear understanding of the vocabulary, it is difficult to build on maths knowledge.
Success in more advanced maths procedures requires the ability to follow
multi-step procedures. For individuals with learning disabilities, it may be difficult
to visualize patterns, different parts of a maths problem or identify critical
information needed to solve equations and more complex problems.
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