Dyscalculia documented cases children – Article 1
Dyscalculia documented cases children – Article 1
Frank Ho
Canada Certified math teacher
Ho Math and Chess Learning Center
January 2, 2010
After starting to pay attention to children dyscalculia, I realized that there are some general symptoms arose from the children.
There are many different views on how to define dyscalculia. A neurologist could determine the outcome of the exploration a child's brain, a psychologist could be defined from the results of psychometric test and a math teacher might define it as a result of test of mathematical ability. As a math educator, my interest is to observe and to find out why a child has dyscalculia fallen through the crack and I can do about it? My observations are:
1. It could happen when children are very young, as young as 5 years age, many parents at this stage to draw their own conclusions to be just because their children are young.
2. Dyscalculia may also persist over grades as grade 7 and thereafter, the symptoms begin to appear invisible to parents and they are allowed to use calculators, but could be detected by very guardians experienced mathematics to observe and examine their calculation steps. A sign is decisive that do not seem able to maintain a mathematics regardless of the amount math tutor of effort has been put in.
3. It may have something to do with their level of general intelligence, although some parents just complain about the marks of mathematics for their children.
4. Children dyscalculia can be very talkative, but when we do math questions, all of a sudden, people become different – they are very quiet. When asked the reasons why there were some responses that normally could not say anything. There were confused about their own answers and could not make a reason that was an answer – without giving any reason.
5. They seem to have bad memory and can not get answers the knowledge transmitted. For example, if 5 + 5 = 10, I know, but when asked 5 + 6 or 5 + 7 is what then might be confused.
6. Their response time for response is usually more then dyscalculia no children.
7. They can not do mental arithmetic, but use physically fingers to count each number to get answers. All calculations are done with the idea that you can physically see or touch for a response. They do not know how to transfer the calculation method of their brains.
The following documents my experience with children with learning difficulties in learning arithmetic.
Case 1. One child from grade 4.
On the second day (January 3, 2009) of the class, I tested it both in writing and orally, and learned that seems to have dyscalculia and his father, apparently not aware of it. His father said he also had trouble read English and after receiving special help from the school, now is better. Father mentioned that your school does not teach math. A child can do 7 + 5 = 12, but when asked by mouth that was 5 + 7, who could not or would not give some answers illogical. Many children do not seem to dyscalculia understand the commutative law. After using objects to explain that he understood but did not give wrong answers when the same question again later. I could not do 11-2 or any debt at all in grade 4. I could not of 5 or more 10 times could do, but I could not do it again if the number changes to 10 + 7. He did not have no idea how a child of ten can be added to five and could not see the pattern when a single digit is added to 10.
I'll give you some worksheets special for him to have the chance to write each question in fact to enhance memory and questions are also specially designed so that he should be able to "see" patterns between each question.
January 4, 2009
I invited a boy to come for further review and wanted to know if you have a problem of memory and a simple test shows that your memory is average. I asked him how he made his calculations and said he was taught to count the number points to make the sum. For example, 3 + 2 would have three points and points 2 to 5 and then was to use this method to all additions and subtractions. He use your fingers to make additions and subtractions, and sometimes feels he has enough fingers to make calculations. This could be a source of their problems is a way of teaching concepts, was for him as a procedure for making all calculations, a big mistake. A child never learned the technique of comparing patterns of computer and work in the school is not practical to provide perfect their skills and also did not have the innate sense of numbers obtained by oneself.
I begin to suspect that the method of teaching addition and subtraction in schools could be problematic for some children.
For example, adding 5 + 3, students were taught to get 5 points and 3 points for what a child count each point sequentially to get the answer 8. If a child start using this method (drawing points or fingers to use) for all your additions, then it would be a problem when the child is making additions to have each point in sequence, the child will never have the fluidity of the addition. In the teachings of most mathematicians, the dots, fingers, beans are often used as a manipulator of this type of sequence counting forward and counting backward to the addition or subtraction of teaching, children will subtraction problems, and he had no idea of ??part 1 part1 + = total. So when is the inverse of addition (subtraction), it will be difficult for them.
They were taught to count, counting the points go etc, but not taught about adding the relations, logic, and technical comparisons, and so on.
They need to be taught about the use of "techniques" to make the addition and subtraction, not to tell. There is something wrong with our mathematics education school in the initial level.
I led to comparisons between the numbers of addition and showed that it could use different techniques to make the calculation rather than rely on finger counting.
In two hours, which showed improvements in speed and accuracy for correct answers its rapid improvement is encouraging. I assign some homework, reinforcing patterns and also having the addition of up to 10 and doubling as well. All these are in order to keep him from using the fingers but using more of your brain to find the answers himself.
January 9, 2010
A child has improved. He is able to make an addition digits rather quickly and without all the numbers to get the total.
His improvement is remarkable. When compared with a girl who taught me, but showed no significant improvement of the reasons were:
1. Her parents not only wanted to see improvements in their fundamentals, as addition, subtraction, but also insisted that should help in their school work force at the time and hoped that she could get "good" brands. This approach puts too much pressure on it and just did very little practice in fundamentals.
2. Attention from their parents, seemed to be in the marks, but not for give time to speak fluently with the basics.
3. She "tells" her parents what to do, not the other, she is the queen and parents are civil servants.
January 27, 2010
Child A breakthrough yet, but has slowed somewhat, because for two times a row, he did not do any work given to you. He said he was too busy. He is now able to do the reverse calculation, so it remains important that it was better than the first time I attended Ho Math and Chess math class. I phoned his father to tell him that a child must continue to work at home, her father asked me how you're doing and I told him how I honestly felt it has progressed. I feel strange that gave me no answer how he felt about the state of their own son so far.
January 30, 2010
A child has not been doing his homework, I am disappointed that he was asked to do homework in my class. His progress has been stale, but still much better than where he was when he joined my class.
February 14, 2010
I am somewhat disappointed by the progress Boy A from today I discovered he has done some very bad pages in the exercise of one hundred to more than one place. This error can be very easy to check and stop at home if your Parents could save a little time to check their work, but despite my request for cooperation was not forthcoming. Education has been affected by the projection Boy A interests in making a little challenge at all when some of my new worksheets invented was to him.
I feel like to close this case the following observations:
1. A child needs to be helped with the active participation of parents in the home or watch at least.
2. The child must learn to take an active role in learning, not good if a child shows no interest in understanding the teaching of concept but just want to know how to fix the procedure and do homework.
Case 2. Chico J, kindergarten
January 20, 2010
This child is very interesting, because I just want to play chess, but it is believed that during the game, only interested in pushing the "timber". He gets angry and threw the pieces up if you lose a game. The eyes look away when I tried so explain to him about how to make worksheet, not even allowed to have the opportunity to hear other trick-or playing chess. This is a very difficult case to handle. He makes math physically count each item to 5 + 2, which will have five fingers and then, 2 fingers or going to draw circles of 5 and 2 circles for a response.
I asked her mother what interests you, the labyrinth is what your mom told me, so I created a maze of chess for him, but to make a move you need to calculate some simple math to move, not even going to listen to me in the form of the labyrinth should be played. I had to give her and asked her mom to try it at home. He refused to do so by randomly scribbling lines in the entire maze I printed for him so that the labyrinth is basically out of use and uselessness said to work.
I then created a mixed number with dots to mimic the way of doing mathematics, but the fingers trying to keep him from using the fingers or drawing points so their calculation is slowly transferred to your brain without physically with your fingers or points. I await your response when I give it in the next class.
Chess teacher has to constantly remind him that it feels really good and pay attention.
J Child Mother told me that when J Chico was young, his grandmother always to get away with it and it even caused conflicts between mother and grandmother about how J. educate children
J child is difficult for me to say if you have dyscalculia or not, that is just starting to learn math, one thing I can view is that he wants to, and wants only to do some homework, do not have to use a lot of ideas. This is evident in the way they play chess and other treat follow the rules of chess, is not interesting in any "cause-consequence" effect.
January 30, 2010
Mom did not stay with J Boy and did not want to do any math work so mom asked him to be sent to the chess class. I asked mom to Chico to monitor J the new set of math worksheets at home.
February 14, 2010
J Child Mother is taking an active role in helping your child at home and also make sure that I would finish all their assigned tasks, which continue to advance and not have the fingers to get the answers when you make a 1-digit by digit addition, but still have problems sitting upright in his seat to do a job other than playing chess. I have given him multiple worksheets specially designed for him to continue to encourage him to work on math worksheets.
Maybe when it gets a little more mature then he would overcome his own weakness, not being able to sit in his seat and does not work. Now his mom has to sit next to him to do the job, and this is not a long term solution, of course. He is able to sit while playing chess, but can not sit when you do the math.
About the Author
Frank Ho is a Canada certified math tewacher and also the founder of Ho Math and Chess learning center. Ho Math and Chess is the only international child franchise dedicated to teaching children math using math, chess, puzzles and virtual toys integrated workbooks. More information on Ho Math and Chess innovatie workbooks, please visit www.mathandchess.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iFDPJVzQtI.