Dyscalculia is a learning disorder in which individuals struggle to understand mathematical concepts and problems. This problem can be a difficult one to identify, particularly if teachers are not looking for it; some children with dyscalculia can be dismissed as simply being poor students or not making the effort to learn. The problem, though, is that many of these children simply need more help in learning their math problems. In order to provide the needed help, though, children need to be identified as having dyscalculia. In order to do this, parents and teachers need to be on the lookout for the common symptoms of this learning disorder and evaluate the student's struggles.
Step 1
Evaluate the child's performance in other areas of school. Sometimes the student is simply one who performs poorly in many different areas. But many children with dyscalculia are actually good students in other areas. According to Dyscalculia.org, many children with this learning disability also have normal or accelerated language acquisition skills, including speech, reading, and writing, as well as poetic ability and creative arts skills. They are also good at sciences that do not require intensive mathematical knowledge and may also prove successful at geometry, which relies on logic, not formulas, to solve mathematical problems.
Step 2
Look at the child's time management and direction skills. If the child has trouble remembering his class schedule, or the tasks and/or appointments scheduled in the future, this could be a sign of dyscalculia. Individuals with the learning disorder may also struggle to keep track of time, resulting in them being consistently late to appointments.
Step 3
Test the child's mental math ability with simple math problems incorporating addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Have your child work with money and make change based on various financial scenarios. Children with dyscalculia tend to do very poorly at these simple tasks.
Step 4
Bring your child to a testing professional who is able to evaluate your child professionally and determine whether she has dyscalculia or not. Your school or school district should be able to direct you to an education professional able to diagnose this learning disorder.
