Dyscalculia Awareness Month
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March is Dyscalculia Awareness Month!
Dyscalculia is a little-known learning disability that affects a person's ability to understand numbers, arithmetic, and mathematical concepts. You can think of it as "math dyslexia". As someone with dyslexia struggles with letters and words, someone with dyscalculia struggles with numbers and math.
Math disorder is not a sign of laziness. It is not a question of just "trying harder". Dyscalculia is a genuine disability. Having dyscalculia means that your brain doesn't process numbers the way other peoples' do.
Likewise, having dyscalculia does not make someone stupid. People with dyscalculia have intelligence levels in the average to the gifted range. In fact, it's common for people with this learning difficulty to have talent in areas like the arts or creative writing. We can excel in many fields -- as long as we're given the help we need to cope with math.
The following will give you the run-down on Dyscalculia Awareness Month. I'll tell you how it got started and why. I'll also tell you where to go to learn more about dyscalculia, whether you're a teacher, parent, or just someone who would like to learn more. Best of all, I'll tell you how to get involved to help spread the word about dyscalculia.
Math disorder is not a sign of laziness. It is not a question of just "trying harder". Dyscalculia is a genuine disability. Having dyscalculia means that your brain doesn't process numbers the way other peoples' do.
Likewise, having dyscalculia does not make someone stupid. People with dyscalculia have intelligence levels in the average to the gifted range. In fact, it's common for people with this learning difficulty to have talent in areas like the arts or creative writing. We can excel in many fields -- as long as we're given the help we need to cope with math.
The following will give you the run-down on Dyscalculia Awareness Month. I'll tell you how it got started and why. I'll also tell you where to go to learn more about dyscalculia, whether you're a teacher, parent, or just someone who would like to learn more. Best of all, I'll tell you how to get involved to help spread the word about dyscalculia.
What the Heck is Dyscalculia?
Learn more about math disability
What exactly is dyscalculia? How do you know if you have it? Does it just mess up your math ability, or is there a broader impact? These questions and more are answered here.
Teaching Math to Dyscalculics
It can be done
In spite of having a math disability, people with dyscalculia can be taught math. We just need it taught to us in different ways that other students do. Whether you're a parent with a dyscalculic child, or a teacher with dyscalculic students, these resources will help you to help them.
A Whole Month? For Dyscalculia?
Kind of excessive, isn't it?
Well, have you ever heard of dyscalculia? No? Neither have a lot of people -- including many doctors, teachers, school counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and even some special education professionals.
"Dyscalculia" is so unknown that every time I type it, my Firefox browser flags it as misspelled. So does my gmail spell-checker. Microsoft Word used to flag it too, until I added it to its dictionary.
In fact, dyscalculia is so unknown that most people who have it have never heard of it. They just know that there's something not quite right with their brains. They struggle to remember phone numbers and addresses, go to great lengths to avoid doing math that others think is "simple", and expend huge amounts of energy trying to cover for a disability they don't know they have.
For Math Teachers
How the Brain Learns Mathematics, by David A. Sousa
Editorial Reviews on Amazon:
"Totally absorbing... Any teacher who teaches math should have this on his or her book list." (Carol Amos, Math Teacher )
"This text is written the way we should be teaching -- making you eagerly anticipate what is coming next." (Renee Ponce-Nealon, Third-Grade Teacher )
"... should be required reading for all teachers who teach math at any level." (Mary Thoreen, Mathematics Teacher )
"Totally absorbing... Any teacher who teaches math should have this on his or her book list." (Carol Amos, Math Teacher )
"This text is written the way we should be teaching -- making you eagerly anticipate what is coming next." (Renee Ponce-Nealon, Third-Grade Teacher )
"... should be required reading for all teachers who teach math at any level." (Mary Thoreen, Mathematics Teacher )
How the Brain Learns Mathematics
Amazon Price: $30.88 (as of 02/15/2012)
A book that combines cognitive research with practical advice, this book provides common ground between the scientists who study learning and the educators who work on the ground.
How Did Dyscalculia Awareness Month Begin?
With a small, dedicated group of individuals ...
A bunch of us at the dyscalculia forum were talking about World Dyscalculia Day, which is March 3rd. One member lamented the fact that she would be unable to participate at her university, because the school would be on Spring Break that week. I myself had been overseas, and was recovering from the resulting jetlag. I said half-jokingly that we really needed a whole month for the benefit of those of us who tend to procrastinate.
Another member, one of the forum moderators and instigators of World Dyscalculia Day, thought it was a great idea. Dyscalculia Day has only been in existence for two years, and it's already done a lot to inform people about dyscalculia. What could we do with a whole month?
Dyscalculia Awareness Month allows participants flexibility when holding events. It keeps dyscalculia in the public consciousness for several weeks. Better yet, it gives people time to learn about dyscalculia, and then get involved.
- The Dyscalculia Forum
- Do you have dyscalculia? Do you think your child might have it? Or one of your students? Or would you just like to learn more about math disorder? The Dyscalculia Forum is a friendly, welcoming place where you can hang out with people who understand.
March 3rd is World Dyscalculia Day!
3/3 ... so not even a dyscalculic can screw it up.
World Dyscalculia Day was started in 2008 as a grassroots effort to spread the word about math disorder. It's an effort by and for dyscalculics. Our hope is that by increasing public awareness of this disorder, more people will be tested, diagnosed, and treated, and go on to live happier, more productive lives.
Dyscalculia Day Poster
Print it out, hang it up, pass it around!
A member of the Dyscalculia Forum made this poster. You can download a PDF version of it by clicking on the image. Print out a bunch and hand them out at your school, your district office, your university, the mall ... wherever you want to spread the word about dyscalculia!
Spread the Word About Dyscalculia!
Count the ways!
Victorian Lady Shouting on Beach Art Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
Participate in Dyscalculia Awareness Month!
The Dyscalculia Forum has ready-made resources for you to use. Download and print their brochures -- then hand them out at your college dining hall. Or drop some off at your local schools or district offices. Or set up a table at the mall.
You can also download icons from the Dyscalculia Forum and put them in your sig. Or you can watch some short videos on the subject. Or you can make your own video and put it on YouTube.
Blog about dyscalculia. Write an online article or a letter to your local paper. The methods are endless.
Just be sure to let me know what you're up to -- click on the "contact me" button at the top of this page and send me a message. I'll link to your efforts on this page to keep a record of Dyscalculia Awareness Month.
Below are some bloggers who joined the efforts for World Dyscalculia Day.
- Videos, Web Icons, and Informational Brochures from the Dyscalculia Forum
- Help spread the word by staging your own Dyscalculia Awareness Month event! You don't even have to make your own brochures -- the good folks at the Dyscalculia Forum have uploaded some to their site. Download 'em, print 'em, and hand 'em out!
- UK School participates in World Dyscalculia Day!
- Wow. World Dyscalculia Day only started in 2008, but a school in the UK has already decided to mark the day by educating people about mathematics disorder.
- I'm not stupid ... I just can't count
- A primary school teacher describes her struggles with dyscalculia.
- Top Ten Things That Scare Me As A Dyscalculic
- When you have dyscalculia, going to the bank can be downright scary.
- 0.999 ... = 1?
- Writer CM Stewart blogs about her dyscalculia.
Dyscalculia: The Hidden Disability
by Amanda Ferris
Hidden Depths
Buy This Allposters.com
Writer Amanda Ferris outlines the symptoms of dyscalculia, and explains why diagnosis is important for you or your child. With the proper diagnosis, someone with dyscalculia can be taught coping skills to help mitigate their learning difficulty, and ultimately, they can get the accommodations they need to succeed in school or the workplace.
- Dyscalculia: The Hidden Disability
- What are the symptoms of dyscalculia? Why is diagnosis important? Amanda Ferris explains.
For Kids With Dyscalculia
My Thirteenth Winter by Samantha Abeel
Customer Reviews on Amazon:
"Beautiful and thought-provoking."
"True and compelling story told with wisdom beyond her years."
"A mind opening experience".
"Beautiful and thought-provoking."
"True and compelling story told with wisdom beyond her years."
"A mind opening experience".
My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir
Amazon Price: $3.21 (as of 02/15/2012)
List Price: $6.99
This memoir about the author's diagnosis with dyscalculia puts a human face on the disorder. Young people struggling with a learning difficulty will appreciate knowing that they are not alone.
Dyscalculia Stamp on Deviant Art
courtesy of Winged Hippcampus
Educating others about dyscalculia doesn't have to be time consuming. Download this stamp from DeviantArt. Put it in your web and e-mail sig. And watch the word spread exponentially.
- Download this dyscalculia stamp from Deviant Art!
- A member of the dyscalculia forum made this stamp at Deviant Art. Click through to download it.
Wear It On Your Sleeve!
Dyscalculia T-Shirts at Zazzle
T-shirts are a great way to get the word out. These t-shirts from Zazzle are all fully customizable -- you choose the size, style, and even color.
powered by Zazzle.com
Support Dyscalculia Awareness Month!
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Dyscalculia Poster
Print it out, hang it up, hand it around!
A member of the Dyscalculia Forum made this poster. You can download a PDF version of it by clicking on the image. Print out a bunch and hand them out at your school, your district office, your university, the mall ... wherever you want to spread the word about dyscalculia!
Are You Participating In Dyscalculia Awareness Month?
Tell us what you're up to.
You don't have to be a member of Squidoo to leave a comment. I do strip out HTML for spam control, but if you tell me about a website, blog, or anything else that isn't spam, I'll write about it and link to it above.
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sandyspider
Aug 18, 2011 @ 7:29 pm | delete
- I didn't know this was a real disability. Thanks for enlightening me.
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Addy Bell
I was diagnosed with dyscalculia as a junior in college. While the diagnosis came as a relief -- all those years of suffering in math class finally had a reason -- it also came too late for me to learn how to cope with math and numbers in my daily life. This has had a huge impact on my employment history, and consequently on my self-esteem.
I'm promoting Dyscalculia Awareness Month to raise as much awareness as possible. I want others with dyscalculia to know that they aren't alone. I want parents and educators to know that this is a real disability. Above all, I want dyscalculia to be recognized and treated so that people with this disorder can participate fully in the workforce.
I'm promoting Dyscalculia Awareness Month to raise as much awareness as possible. I want others with dyscalculia to know that they aren't alone. I want parents and educators to know that this is a real disability. Above all, I want dyscalculia to be recognized and treated so that people with this disorder can participate fully in the workforce.
Living With Dyscalculia
Yes, it's another blog.
AddaptAbilities is my blog about life as an adult with learning differences. It's an astounding tour de force. I promise.
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AddaptAbilities
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