Dyscalculia is a learning disability characterized by difficulties with math. It is estimated to affect 5-10% of the population. People with dyscalculia struggle with basic math concepts like quantity, have trouble memorizing math facts, and performing calculations. While the exact causes are unknown, it is thought to be related to differences in brain structure and function. Dyscalculia is diagnosed through evaluations of math skills, and treatments focus on filling gaps through specialized instruction and accommodations to make learning math easier. People with dyscalculia may struggle with math their whole lives, but accommodations can help them succeed in school and work.

1. DYSCALCULIA

2. What is Dyscalculia?
• A learning disability
in math.
• They often struggle
with key concepts
like bigger vs.
smaller.
• And they can have a
hard time doing
basic math problems
and more abstract

3. • Common for both girls
and boys
• A condition that makes
it hard to do math and
tasks that involve math.
• It’s not as well known
or as understood as
Dyslexia but some
experts believe it’s just
as common.
• That means an
estimated 5 to 10
percent of people

4. Different terms for Dyscalculia.
 Mathematics learning disability
 Mathematics learning disorder
 Math dyslexia or number dyslexia.
This can be misleading because Dyslexia is a challenge
with reading while Dyscalculia is a challenge with math.

5. People don’t outgrow dyscalculia. Kids who
have a hard time with math may continue to
struggle with it as adults. But there are strategies
that can help them improve math skills and
manage the challenges.

6. • Difficulty with math happens at
all levels.
• It can be as hard to learn
addition as it is to learn algebra.
• Basic concepts like quantities
can also be a challenge.
• That’s why dyscalculia can make it
hard to do everyday tasks.
• Cooking, grocery shopping, and
getting places on time all involve
these basic math skills, which are
known as number sense.

7. • People with dyscalculia can have
trouble with math in different
ways.
• Signs may vary from person to
person and they can look
different at different ages.
• Problems with number sense
may show up as early as
preschool in some people.
• In other people, the challenges
become clear as math gets more
complex in school.

8. Dyscalculia Signs and Symptoms
Common signs of dyscalculia include trouble:
 Grasping the meaning of
quantities or concepts like
biggest vs. smallest
 Understanding that the
numeral 5 is the same as the
word five, and that these both
mean five items
 Remembering math facts in
school, like times tables

9. Dyscalculia Signs and Symptoms
 Counting money or making
change
 Estimating time
 Judging speed or distance
 Understanding the logic
behind math
 Holding numbers in their
head while solving problems
Some people overlook dyscalculia as just being “bad at
math.”

10. Classification of Symptoms
Kosc identified six different
classifications for the disorder, where
students present with problems and
difficulties in the following areas:
1. Verbal dyscalculia – naming specific
amounts, e.g. ‘three oranges’. Later
research calls it a lack of number
sense, or difficulty in understanding
quantity.
2.Practognostic dyscalculia –
manipulating objects mathematically,
e.g. making comparisons to

11. 3. Ideognostical dyscalculia –
understanding mathematical and
arithmetic concepts and relationships.
4. Lexical dyscalculia – reading
mathematical symbols, such as
operational signs (+, -, <, > etc) and
numbers.
5. Graphical dyscalculia – writing
mathematical symbols such as
operational signs (+, -, <, > etc) and
numbers.
6. Operational dyscalculia –
performing arithmetic and

12. Causes of Dyscalculia
• Researchers don’t know exactly what causes
dyscalculia. But they believe it’s at least partly due to
differences in how the brain is structured and how it
functions.
• Researchers aren’t just looking into what causes
dyscalculia. They’re also trying to learn if there are
strategies that can help “rewire” the brain to make
math easier.
Possible Causes Of Dyscalculia:
1. Genes and heredity
2. Brain development
3. Acquired dyscalculia

13. 1. Genes and heredity: Dyscalculia tends to run
in families. Research shows that genetics may also
play a part in problems with math.

14. 2. Brain development:
Brain imaging studies have
shown some differences
between people with and
without dyscalculia.
The differences have to do
with how the brain is
structured and how it
functions in areas that are
linked to learning skills.

15. 3. Acquired dyscalculia
(acalculia): the loss of skill in
mathematical skills and
due to disturbances like brain
injury and other cognitive

16. How Dyscalculia Is Diagnosed
• The only way to get a diagnosis is
through an evaluation. This can
happen at any age.
• Evaluators use different tests for adults
than for kids.
Kids can get an evaluation for free at
school.
• There are also specialists who do
private evaluations of kids and adults.
• Private evaluations can be costly. But
there are local resources that offer free

18. Evaluators use a set of
tests just for dyscalculia.
• But evaluations also
involve testing for other
challenges. That’s partly
because people with
dyscalculia often also
struggle in other areas,
like reading or working
memory.
• But evaluations don’t just

19. • A diagnosis (schools use
the word identification)
lets kids get supports and
services at school.
• For example, kids might
get special instruction in
math.
• The school might also
give accommodations to
make learning math
easier.

20. Adults with
dyscalculia may get
accommodations at
work.
• The law requires
employers to give
supports to people
with disabilities.
• That includes
with learning
disabilities.

21. A diagnosis of dyscalculia can sound
scary. But many people find it a relief to
that their challenges with math are real. Plus,
getting the right supports can help them
thrive in school, work, and everyday life.

22. Dyscalculia Treatment and Accommodations
• It has no cure and cannot be treated with
medication.
• The goals of treatment are to fill in as many
gaps as possible and to develop coping
mechanisms that can be used throughout life.
• This is typically done through
special instruction,
accommodations, and other
interventions.

24. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA), students with dyscalculia are eligible for special
services in the classroom.
Dyscalculia accommodations in the classroom may
include:
• allowing more time on assignments and tests
• allowing the use of calculators
• adjusting the difficulty of the task
• separating complicated problems into smaller steps
• using posters to remind students to basic math
concepts
• tutoring to target core, foundational skills
• providing supplemental information via computer-

25. Sources: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia/what-is-
dyscalculia?fbclid=IwAR0eRuQXyIoS5wmUnRMMwby6Ps9OnHDwFS_xtCI_-6YDw1ZTL7nt0-S4K1E
Dyscalculia Treatment and Accommodations
• If left untreated, dyscalculia persists into
adulthood, leaving many at a disadvantage
when it comes to higher education and
workplace success.
• Adults with dyscalculia may be entitled to
reasonable accommodations in their workplace
under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
https://www.additudemag.com/what-is-dyscalculia-overview-and-symptom-
breakdown/?fbclid=IwAR1aB6p4B2i31Q4sYipU6VxwVz-CZvU-OXx4HUBXlLeZ30g5xv-KKI34WLw
https://dopasolution.com/dyscalculia/