Dyscalculia & Maths Resources For Adults

It can be difficult to find much about or for adults on the subject of dyscalculia, previously we had a guest post from educator Sarah Jarvis covering the topic of Helping Adults with Mathematical Learning Difficulties, which is a great introduction to the subject if you have not read it yet.

We have decided to dig deeper on the subject and find more resources and more ways of overcoming this difficulty with maths and here it is:

Firstly its good to get yourself mentally prepared for the task of challenging your mathematical difficulties so please keep in mind these four things:

Growth Mindset –

‘I will be able to do this with practice!’ Maths is a skill like any other that with practice can be learnt.

Welcome Mistakes –

As Jo Boaler says, ‘when you make a mistake your brain grows’

Understand and Accept why Maths is so Difficult –

The math processing centre of your brain is not functioning optimally.  If you did an MRI, you’d see that it is not lighting up (activating) as it should be when thinking about numbers.  If you could look inside that area, you’d probably find lesions or jumbled neurons and or significantly less grey matter (brain tissue).

Understand why and how you Need to Learn Differently –

Knowing these things, you need to bypass this area and recruit working areas to process quantitative tasks.  Usually, the language functions are intact (listening, speaking, reading), and can be recruited to consider and process quantitative information. So focus on taking advantage of highly visual or audio information, such as fun infographics or learning applications with sound.

Finding Resources:

Finding good resources for adults with dyscalculia is not an easy task, but here are some we discovered that we thought may be useful for you at home.

Apps & Tools

1. BBC Skillwise – has a brilliant selection of video guides and tasks to help you build your confidence with maths!
2. ModMath – A program which helps people with dysgraphia get the mathematical problems down and with the visual aspects, it will benefit people with dyscalculia.
3. Math Vocabulary Cards – Math Vocabulary Cards help adults deepen their conceptual understanding of key terms in mathematics.
4. Power of 2! – The number-match game, this app is a bit more fun so you can keep your brain active and boost your reflexes!
5. Math Symbols and Terms – Math Terms and Symbols is a great way for you to quickly learn the numerous math symbols found across several schools of math.

Do you have Dyscalculia?

If you have troubles with numbers but are unsure if it truly is dyscalculia you can try Dr Steve Chinn’s Dyscalculia Checklist. It is ideal for individuals, does not take too long to complete and is ideal for identifying if you would like further diagnosis. It is effective in both further and higher education, but can also be used to screen adults in the workplace who are struggling with mathematics.

Find out now here!