This document summarizes a presentation on teaching math to children with special needs. It discusses the characteristics of children with learning disabilities, myths about learning disabilities, problems occurring in math like dyscalculia, and effective teaching strategies like teaching for understanding versus rules and procedures. It also covers topics like memorization, flash cards, counting strategies, and visualizing mathematics concepts.
1. Teaching Math to Children
with Special Needs
MassHOPE - TEACH
Worcester, MA
Saturday, April 27
9:45am — 10:45am
Joan A. Cotter, Ph.D.
JoanCotter@RightStartMath.com
5. Characteristics of LD
Child usually:
• Is often more creative.
• Cannot learn by rote.
• Must understand and make sense of
concept
in order to remember.
6. Characteristics of LD
Child usually:
• Is often more creative.
• Cannot learn by rote.
• Must understand and make sense of
concept
in order to remember.
• Is more visual and often hands-on.
7. Characteristics of LD
Child usually:
• Is often more creative.
• Cannot learn by rote.
• Must understand and make sense of
concept
in order to remember.
• Is more visual and often hands-on.
• Dislikes worksheets.
9. Myths about LD
1. People with LD have lower intelligence. (33%
are gifted.)
10. Myths about LD
1. People with LD have lower intelligence. (33%
are gifted.)
2. They are lazy or stubborn.
11. Myths about LD
1. People with LD have lower intelligence. (33%
are gifted.)
2. They are lazy or stubborn.
3. Children with LD can be cured or will outgrow
it.
12. Myths about LD
1. People with LD have lower intelligence. (33%
are gifted.)
2. They are lazy or stubborn.
3. Children with LD can be cured or will outgrow
it.
4. Boys are more likely to be affected.
13. Myths about LD
1. People with LD have lower intelligence. (33%
are gifted.)
2. They are lazy or stubborn.
3. Children with LD can be cured or will outgrow
it.
4. Boys are more likely to be affected.
5. Dyslexia and learning disability are the same
thing.
14. Myths about LD
1. People with LD have lower intelligence. (33%
are gifted.)
2. They are lazy or stubborn.
3. Children with LD can be cured or will outgrow
it.
4. Boys are more likely to be affected.
5. Dyslexia and learning disability are the same
thing.
6. Adults with LD and ADD cannot succeed in
higher education.
17. Problems Occurring in Math
(Dyscalculia)
• Reversals in writing numbers
• Poor number sense
18. Problems Occurring in Math
(Dyscalculia)
• Reversals in writing numbers
• Poor number sense
• Slow fact retrieval
19. Problems Occurring in Math
(Dyscalculia)
• Reversals in writing numbers
• Poor number sense
• Slow fact retrieval
• Errors in computation
20. Problems Occurring in Math
(Dyscalculia)
• Reversals in writing numbers
• Poor number sense
• Slow fact retrieval
• Errors in computation
• Difficulty in solving word problems
21. Problems Occurring in Math
(Dyscalculia)
• Reversals in writing numbers
• Poor number sense
• Slow fact retrieval
• Errors in computation
• Difficulty in solving word problems
Dyscalculia only affects arithmetic, not other
branches of math.
22. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
23. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
24. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
25. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
26. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
27. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
28. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
29. Teaching for
Understanding
Emphasizes
understanding
Teaches a few
generalizations
Identifies global
relationships
Broad application
Takes longer to learn,
but is retained more
easily
Difficult to teach
Difficult to test
Teaching Rules and
Procedures
Emphasizes recall
Teaches many rules
Identifies sequential
steps
Limited context
Is learned more quickly,
but is quickly
forgotten
Is easy to teachCalifornia Mathematics Framework, 1985, p. 13
30. Time Needed to Memorize
According to a study with college students, it took them
31. Time Needed to Memorize
• 93 minutes to learn 200 nonsense
syllables.
According to a study with college students, it took them
32. Time Needed to Memorize
• 93 minutes to learn 200 nonsense
syllables.
• 24 minutes to learn 200 words of prose.
According to a study with college students, it took them
33. Time Needed to Memorize
• 93 minutes to learn 200 nonsense
syllables.
• 24 minutes to learn 200 words of prose.
• 10 minutes to learn 200 words of poetry.
According to a study with college students, it took them
38. Memorizing Math
Math needs to be taught so 95%
is understood and only 5%
memorized.
Richard Skemp
Percentage Recall
Immediatel
y
After 1 day After 4
wks.
Rote 32 23 8
Concept
69 69 58
40. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
41. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
• Liked only by those who don‟t need
them.
42. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
• Liked only by those who don‟t need
them.
• Give the false impression that math
isn‟t
about thinking.
43. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
• Liked only by those who don‟t need
them.
• Give the false impression that math
isn‟t
about thinking.
• Often produce stress – children under
stress stop learning.
44. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
• Liked only by those who don‟t need
them.
• Give the false impression that math
isn‟t
about thinking.
• Often produce stress – children under
stress stop learning.
• Not concrete – use abstract symbols.
45. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
• Liked only by those who don‟t need
them.
• Give the false impression that math
isn‟t
about thinking.
• Often produce stress – children under
stress stop learning.
• Not concrete – use abstract symbols.
• Cause stress (may become physically
ill).
46. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
• Liked only by those who don‟t need
them.
• Give the false impression that math
isn‟t
about thinking.
• Often produce stress – children under
stress stop learning.
• Not concrete – use abstract symbols.
• Cause stress (may become physically
ill).
47. Flash Cards & Times Tests
• Often used to teach rote.
• Liked only by those who don‟t need
them.
• Give the false impression that math
isn‟t
about thinking.
• Often produce stress – children under
stress stop learning.
• Not concrete – use abstract symbols.
• Cause stress (may become physically
ill).
81. Domino Pattern Drawbacks
• Patterns generally cannot be added.
• They are not used outside of games.
• Emphasize only 1–6.
82. Domino Pattern Drawbacks
• Patterns generally cannot be added.
• They are not used outside of games.
• Emphasize only 1–6.
• Precious little mathematics.
363. Teaching Math
• Talk positively about math.
• Teach for understanding; concrete
models should lead to mental models.
364. Teaching Math
• Talk positively about math.
• Teach for understanding; concrete
models should lead to mental models.
• Encourage children to ask questions. “I
don‟t get it” is not a question.
365. Teaching Math
• Talk positively about math.
• Teach for understanding; concrete
models should lead to mental models.
• Encourage children to ask questions. “I
don‟t get it” is not a question.
• Use correct vocabulary.
366. Teaching Math
• Talk positively about math.
• Teach for understanding; concrete
models should lead to mental models.
• Encourage children to ask questions. “I
don‟t get it” is not a question.
• Use correct vocabulary.
• Ask a question once; allow 3 seconds
for a response. Resist rephrasing.
367. Teaching Math
• Talk positively about math.
• Teach for understanding; concrete
models should lead to mental models.
• Encourage children to ask questions. “I
don‟t get it” is not a question.
• Use correct vocabulary.
• Ask a question once; allow 3 seconds
for a response. Resist rephrasing.
• Give a child 2-3 seconds to say a fact.
368. Teaching Math to Children
with Special Needs
MassHOPE - TEACH
Worcester, MA
Saturday, April 27
9:45am — 10:45am
Joan A. Cotter, Ph.D.
JoanCotter@RightStartMath.com