I have been homeschooling my 8 year old son now for 3 years. When it comes to math he draws a blank. Although he has a wonderful memory with the written word, numbers are beyond him. (Example: He can’t remember 9+5, but he can recite the Lord’s Prayer in Latin) After researching on the internet, I have found that he has many signs of discalculia. I had never heard of this before. We have an appointment with the public school on Monday to have him tested for this. What I need to know is if there is any homeschool curriculum or techniques accessible that would help me teach him in a way that he would actually understand. His problems include but are not limited to: inability to memorize and retain simple addition and subtraction, very poor concept of time, no kind of strategic planning abilities or ability to remember rules to games, although he loves to play them.(ex: chess, remembering how pauns move and attack;red rover, played it for 45 minutes before his name was called and then he just walked to the other side and grabbed the other person’s hand. In other words, he had watched the game being played for 45 minutes and still didn’t get it. Needless to say he was very embarrassed and I felt horrible for him.), inability to grasp simple math concepts such as counting by 3’s to 36, finding which numbers are greater than or less than another number, and finding points such as a certain seat in a certain row in a theater. Anyway, if there is any help out there I would be very greatful.
Re: dyscalculia
Thanks for the reference.
I do know about math and more on that in a minute.
I have no practical experience with Asperger’s. just reading here etc., but from what I have read this does not sound like classic AS. Many AS people major in math and science and often become engineers — they like the accuracy and pattern and predictability of numbers and technology.
On the other hand, the person who really knows about this firsthand, both AS and difficulty with math, is des. Send her a private message by clicking on her name on one of her posts and then on pm. She is busy with a new teaching job right now and is not online quite as much as other times, but when she gets the time she is knowledgeable and helpful.
On math, it is vital, before dealing with 9 + 5, to have general number sense and learn what 9 and 5 are. It sounds like this kid is weak in number sense and every effort to bring him up to grade level is going to founder on that same rock.
Three general things to do:
(1) Use numbers in daily life as much as possible. Talk about how many and how much and how far — how many people at supper, how many knives and forks and glasses and plates; how much flour and how many eggs in the cake; how long to bake the cake; and so on. Make a strong effort to talk about numbers and use them several times daily. Teach him how to cook and to measure, how to use tools to do little building projects and to measure there, how to shop and how to count things to buy and money to spend. Don’t worry about advanced topics like time elapsed or making change or any of that, just recognizing numbers and counting first.
(2) See my post on addition tables (more below) and *before* even getting into addition, use the same kind of visual-kinesthetic technique on counting and recognizing numbers. Get 1 to 9 really, really solid before trying to add them.
(3) I have posted previously an outline of a simple method for teaching the addition tables (and later multiplication). Send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll return a copy to you.
Re: dyscalculia
Just a comment that I didn’t see any indications that the characteristics she described are specific to autism. Many children with dyscalculia are quite proficient in memory. The ability to ascertain rules was limited to a discussion of various games. Generally speaking, AS kids know the rules, they may even like the rules part, but have more difficulty with social aspects of games— working in a team, seeing the point in playing, etc.
As for AS and math difficulty, I think there are two kinds of AS kids, those that find math as a strength and may even have exceptional abilities (and have outstanding visual spatial 3d skills) and those who have math difficulties (often with problems in isolated visual spatial skills). I haven’t met too many who were really average. I believe math disabilities in and out of Aspergers may have more to do with how it is taught than with an actual disability. I think many AS kids need more concrete practice, as do other non-AS kids.
—des
Dyscalculia (assessment)
I am currently in the process of earning my license in Special Education and working as an aide in an elementary school. I am working in a building with no experienced Special Education personnel. I assist a first grade classroom during math instruction and we have one student who cannot count to 5 consistantly, much less add and subtract. Most of the teachers who work with her are convinced it is a combination of learned helplessness and a play for attention (which it may be). How can I determine if it may be dyscalculia, or a manipulation? I have employed behavior modification techniques (withdrawing assistance and attention), but I am starting to suspect that there may be a legitimate problem here. What do you suggest?
Re: dyscalculia
LynnD — it would be easier if you started your own thread for a new topic. No need to be shy.
With the child you described, three things:
1. Check her IQ score. If she is really a slow learner, she may need more time and general knowledge.
2. Start from the gound up. Put ten pennies in a baggie. Every day work with her on counting pennies. Every time she says a number, she takes the penny and slides it over to the other side of the desk (not pointing and not just touching, but physically taking.) She can take the whole batch of pennies and count as far as she can and then you chime in and help her get up to ten, and then you can give her small groups and she can tell you how many. *After* she is good with what the numbers are, you can do two pennies plus three pennies etc., and much later yet seven pennies minus four pennies etc.
3. Also working from the ground up, get some readiness level workbooks (school supplies and/or walmart etc.) and have her do lots and lots of exercises of comparing and matching and one-to-one matching. Once she has really *worked through* the readiness stuff, she can also work on writing numerals. Please work on correct directionality of writing — see above posts for what happens when a kid is just left to figure it out and to practice counterproductive habits. Take time and make sure to get the foundations right.
Re: dyscalculia
You might also want to look at Lindamood Bell’s On Cloud Nine. The manual is easy to understand and you could do it at home without training, I think. (I have it.) It works on visualizing the number line first on the premise that kids with math difficulties do not “see” numbers. It isn’t a complete math program but has elements that no other program I know does.
How is his coordination? How about reading comprehension? Does he get lost easily?
Beth
Victoria is the lady in the know for what you are asking. But, does your child have asperger’s syndrome? It sounds like it, I mean no harm to you and may GOD bless both you and your child, but that really sounds like asperger’s.