Article Reviews on Dyscalculia

1. My first article is called, "Psycho-Pedagogical Interventions in the Prevention and the

Therapy of Learning Difficulties in the Field of Mathematics. The article introduces
math disabilities prevalent in the math classroom: dyscalculia, acalculia, and
arithmastenia. It continues by defining what a learning disability is. Dyscalculia is
described in three forms: difficulties in visual or auditory perception and discrimination
of numbers, often accompanied by difficulties in number writing, difficulties in the
acquisition of mathematical principles which form the basis of problem and exercise
solving. difficulties in the acquisition and usage of symbols for the arithmetic operations.
A series of programs are offered to diagnosing dyscalculia. After dyscalculia has been
diagnosed, certain interventions are suggested.
searching for several ways to solve a problem, and analyzing the advantages and
disadvantages of each solution;
verbalizing the problematic situation and the logic to the resolution,
identifying and analyzing the errors.
The article continues on to stress that teachers consider the degree of difficulty in the task
asked for students with dyscalculia to complete, the suitability of the methods, suitable
task duration timing and identifying the need for support.
At the end of the article a learning disabilities checklist is presented. This checklist looks
more like a matrix an instructor can follow to guide them in assessing students and
providing interventions suitable for students' needs. An example done in a fourth grade
class is provided.
Anca, M., Hategan, C. (2009). Psycho-pedagogical interventions in the prevention and the
therapy of learning difficulties in the field of mathematics. Acta Didactica Napocensia
Vol. 2 (3). Pages 101-106. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1052346.pdf

2. The article "An Overview of Dyscalculia: Methods for Ascertaining and Accommodating
Dyscalculic Children in the Classroom" begins by recognizing that math is a subject many
students have a difficult time with. Dyscalculia is defined as "the inability to obtain a appropriate
and appropriate competence in mathematics and the inability to build mathematical relationships
successfully (Michaelson, 2007). The origins and the ways of diagnosis dyscalculia are
discussed in the following paragraphs. An interesting discovery made has been that
"approximately 17 percent of dyscalculic children are also dyslexic, and another 26 percent
experiences that effects of ADHD" (Michaelson, 2007).
Several accommodations suggested for dyscalculic children in three distinct areas: improving
reading skills, improving mathematical problem solving skills, and considering general
instructional design. There are too many to summarize, however some that suggestions offered
are: to break up large sections of text with page breaks and bullet points, use fonts that is easier
for dyscalculic students to read, photocopy math textbook without the diagrams, tables, and
charts that interrupt sequential order, use line readers, highlighters, colored pencils and markers
to identify parts of a multistep problem, and put up large wall posters to remind students of
various basic concepts.
Michaelson, M.T. (2007). An overview of dyscalculia: methods for ascertaining and
accommodating dyscalculic children in the classroom. Australian Mathematics Teacher
Vol. 63 (3). Pages 17-22. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.trnty.edu:3064/ehost/pdfviewer
/pdfviewer?sid=0a0bda22-1932-4779 b1757f482b47cb7%40sessionmgr120&vid=8&
hid=101

3. In the article "The effects of Cognitive Strategy Instruction n on Knowledge of Math

Problem-Solving Processes of Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities" the authors
state that their investigation of a cognitive strategy called Solve It! which assist students with
learning disabilities. Seventh and eighth grade students were part of this investigation.
The authors state that even though teachers are being encouraged to make math lessons more
engaging, students with math disabilities are having difficulties solve math problems for four
different reasons: not understanding what the problem is saying, not being able to interpret the
relationships among the problem parts to form a structural representation, not being able to
determine what operation to use, and/or not being able to carry out a planned computation to
solve the problem.
The authors turn to Solve It! a "researcher-developed intervention to improve eth problemsolving performance of students with LD by explicitly teaching the cognitive processes and
metacognitive strategies that proficient problems solves use to solve math word problems
(Krawec et al., 2012). The strategy hits the four phases of difficulty mentioned above.
1. Students are taught to read the math problem and then paraphrase the problem into their own
words.
2. Students then are asked to visualize the problem by creating a graphic representation
3. Students hypothesize what the solutions to the problem could be selecting the appropriate
operations/equations needed to solve the problem.
4. Students estimate what the answer could be.
5. Finally, students execute the plan, computing the answer following the steps previously
determined.
Two separate samples were done, the first with forty eighth graders in a middle school in MiamiDade County Public Schools. The second with seventh graders from the same district. All
participating teachers were trained how to use Solve It! in their classrooms. Scripted lessons and
an instructional guide was provided for each teacher as well as class charts.
Results show that students improved substantially from their pretest to posttest. Students who
participated in this investigation stated that they had more strategies to use in solving math
problems than before they were introduced to Solve It! There were also limitations found within
the investigation. They suggest that the different ways teacher's present the material should be
researched as well as how much did students understand the strategies provided to them. An
example of the Say It! script is included at the end of the article.
Krawec, J., Huang, J., Montague, M., Kressler, B. Melia de Alaba, A. (2012). The Effects of
cognitive strategy instruction of knowledge of math problem-solving processes of middle
school students with learning disabilities. Hamilton Institute on Disabilities: Learning
Disability Quarterly Vol. 36 (2). Pages 80-92. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.trnty.edu:3064/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=4c33f0d5-fa294561-bc33-9330ee1719d8%40sessionmgr112&hid=101

4. The article "What is Dyscalculia" does not offer any strategies accommodate students with
dyscalculia. Nevertheless, I wanted to share this information for everyone to use. The
information here is quite valuable and easy to understand. Within the article we find an
explanation on how to recognize dyscalculia. The differences between dyscalculia and other
math learning disabilities are explained. A list is provided indicating difficulties a child may
show if he/she has dyscalculia. The article continues on to share the importance of a diagnosis
for the child. At the end it leaves, parents and teachers with the assurance that dyscalculia is a
disability that can be dealt with and even cured. Once knowing where the need is to improve,
accommodations can be applied and success is a possibility.
Adler. B. (2001). What is dyscalculia. Pages 1-30. Retrieved from
http://www.dyscalculiainfo.org/What%20is%20dyscalculia%20-%20B%20Adler.pdf