Understanding Dyscalculia – Part 3

Our two previous blogs discuss dyscalculia in detail. Now that we know a little bit more, what can we do to help our learners?

Tutor tips (For the tutor and the parents):

• Use concrete examples that connect math to real life. For instance, use examples that include their favourite things or shopping. This helps to strengthen your learner’s number sense.
• Use visual aids when solving problems. Draw pictures or move around physical objects. Teachers and tutors can refer to this as “manipulatives”
• Assign manageable amounts of work so your tutee will not feel overloaded
• Review a recently learned skill before moving on to a new one, and explain how the skills are related
• Supervise work and encourage your learner to talk through the problem-solving process. This can help ensure your tutee is using the right math rules and formulas
• Break new lessons into smaller parts that help to show how different skills relate to the new concept
• Let your tutee use graph paper to help keep numbers lined up or in columns
• Use an extra piece of paper to cover up most of what’s on a math test so your tutee can focus on one problem at a time
• Playing math-related games helps your learner have fun and to feel more comfortable with math
  • Answer fewer questions on a test and allocate more time for your tutee to finish a test
  • Record lessons and lectures
  • Use a calculator in class

• Boost confidence: Identify your tutee’s strengths and use them to work on (or around) weaknesses. Activities that tap into your tutees interests and abilities can help improve self-esteem and increase your learner’s resilience. Try to pace yourself during your tutoring sessions and do not use more than one strategy at a time. This makes it easier to tell which ones are producing a good result and which are not
• Help your learner keep track of time: Whether it is a hand on the shoulder, a few key words or an alarm; have systems in place to remind your time-challenged tutee when to start the next activity.
• See what it feels like: Try to experience what it is like to have dyscalculia. Acknowledging that you understand what your learner is going through is another way to boost his or her confidence and to improve your own level of understanding
• Be upbeat: Let your tutee know when you see him or her do something well. Praising effort and genuine achievement can help your learner feel loved and supported. It can also give your tutee the confidence to work harder!
• Support, patience and understanding are key!

To read more about being a great tutor, check out our Ultimate Guide on Tutoring!

If you would like a tutor to assist your child or learner, contact BrightSparkz Tutors today!

A version of this article has also been published on our sister-site.