The school year begins and then there's a lull. The first days of excitement and change are past and now teachers are trying to figure out their students and students are trying to figure out their teachers. Now is a good time for students to talk to their teachers...
![MATH: The Problem of Showing Work [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/April-Newsletter-MATH-the-problem-of-showing-work-400x250.jpg)
If you live in a Common Core state and your student attends public school chances are they frequently are asked to “show their work”. There can be significant challenges for dyslexic students showing work because to do so requires a great deal of verbal working memory, word retrieval, executive function, and writing, all tasks that can overload each other. As with many curricula, the intentions and logic behind some of the choices seem reasonable; but also like many programs, the implementation has significant flaws so that students can become trapped in the process. Students must conform to a curriculum or fail rather than a curriculum being designed to meet the needs of students. For instance, math teachers Katherine Beals and Garry Garelick reviewed some of […]
We don't spend enough time thinking about how much working memory overload could be impact in learning. In math, the issue is especially dire. CALCULATIONS In the early grades, working memory overload can occur when basic math facts can't be learned to the point of...
"What do teachers need to know about teaching math? Strategy over speed, and math thinking over rote memorization." - Stanford Professor Dr Jo Boaler Check out Jo's tips from her new article, Speed and Time Pressure Block Working Memory (below). "I was always deeply...
The Department of Justice has also released video clarification of key rights for students regarding testing accommodations under the ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act. The entire video is located at the bottom of this post, but we are highlighting a section...
"I believe that not being able to read has offered me some fabulous opportunities to see the world differently. " Clark Mishler Clark Mishler is one of the most sought-after photographers in Alaska and one of the top assignment photographers in the country. Thanks to...
Dyscalculia, or a math learning disability is important to identify because formal identification can qualify a student for accommodations both in the classroom and for high stakes tests. It can co-occur with dyslexia and it is under-recognized. We previously reviewed...
![Your Brain on Math Anxiety [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/shutterstock_331750409.jpg)
This is your brain with math anxiety. In children as young as 7 years old, researchers found that activation in areas such as the amygdala and hippocampus were seen in children who had high math anxiety. The amydala and hippocampus are areas of the brain associated with fear condition and negative emotions. The children were given simple and complex arithmetic problems and asked to determine whether the answers given were right or wrong. The children in the high and low anxiety group were matched for IQ, working memory, reading and math performance, and general trait anxiety. As a double burden, the high math anxiety group (HMA) in the figure showed lower brain fMRI activation in areas associated with math processing. So anxiety could be acting […]
![What is Dyscalculia? – Fast Facts [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/shutterstock_172115972-math.jpg)
“There is nothing in the IDEA that would prohibit the use of the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in IDEA evaluation, eligibility determinations, or IEP documents.” – Michael Yudin, Department of Education “Dyscalculia is not assessed in our schools.” – school professional Fast Facts about Dyscalculia What Is Dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is usually defined as a difficulty with calculations or arithmetic skills that is not explained by low intelligence or inadequate schooling. How Common? 3-10% of people, 40% of dyslexics What Ages? Dyscalculia is lifelong, although many helpful strategies can improve math achievement. When adults with dyscalculia have calculator accommodations, they can perform at high levels in even mathematics-intense disciplines. From We Are Teachers How Do You Assess Dyscalculia? Typically dyscalculia is assessed by calculating the […]
![How Do Math-Talented Dyslexics Do Calculations? [PREMIUM]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Screen-Shot-2019-08-30-at-10.17.08-AM.jpg)
Despite the suggestion that dyslexic students who are strong in math use a different approach for doing basic mathematical operations, it’s surprising how little formal research has been done to figure out how math-gifted dyslexic individuals do what they do. At Georgetown University, neuroscience researchers were surprised to find
1. CARD GAMES With a little twist, card games like War and Go Fish can be used to help kids hold onto math facts and math manipulations over the summer. If War (higher card win) is too simple, then Subtraction War (figuring out the difference between two cards) might...
Math Tips for Dyslexia: Some students have difficulty using a number line because of right-left difficulties and the fact that there are some counter-intuitive principles when dealing with positive and negative numbers (the negative of a negative number is a...
