Typical symptons of dyscalculia
- Counting: Usually learn the sequence of counting but may have difficulty navigating back and forth, especially in twos and threes.
- Calculations: Find learning and recalling numbers difficult. They often lack confidence even when they produce the correct answer. They also fail to use rules and procedures to build on known facts. For example, they may know that 5 + 3 = 8, but not realise that, therefore 3 + 5 = 8 or that 5 + 4 = 9
- Numbers with zeros: May find it difficult to grasp that the words ten, hundred and thousand have the same relationship to each other as the numerals 10, 100 and 1000.
- Measures: Often have difficulty with operations such as handling money or telling the time. They may also have problems with concepts such as speed (km per hour) or temperature.
- Orientation: May have difficulty understanding spatial orientation (including left and right) causing difficulties in following directions.
Children with dyscalculia may be particularly vulnerable where teachers follow interactive, whole-class teaching methods. Asking children with dyscalculia to answer apparently simple maths questions in public will inevitably lead to embarrassment and frustration or even total blackout.