Students at all grade and skill levels struggle with math at some point. But what makes math so difficult for some students to learn? Oftentimes, bright students who have a keen sense of logic and reasoning still perform poorly on homework, tests, and quizzes. Students who do not perform well in math may be unfairly labeled as not being focused or trying hard enough when there may be various factors impacting their ability to learn. Let’s identify two common causes of difficulty with math below: dyscalculia and math anxiety.
Dyscalculia is a learning difficulty that causes students to struggle with formulas, shapes, and number-related concepts. Students with dyscalculia have trouble doing basic arithmetic and may struggle to learn math facts and understand and process number-related math problems.
Many students struggle with at least a mild form of dyscalculia. Up to 7% of elementary school students are diagnosed with it, making dyscalculia as common as the more well-known learning disability, dyslexia.
Some signs or symptoms of dyscalculia in children are counting on their fingers, even when they should have aged out of needing to rely on finger-counting and losing track when counting. They may have difficulty in counting things in a group or estimating (such as when you roll a dice and automatically know the number total without needing to count). Or your child may display issues with telling time on a clock or have problems counting money and figuring the correct change.
For an official diagnosis, talk with your child’s doctor first to rule out any their health issues. Then meet with your child’s teachers and a learning specialist for your child to be officially tested. If your child is diagnosed with dyscalculia, there are things you can do to help your child in math at school and at home.
At school, your child’s teacher should have an individualized education plan to allow for modifications for your child’s instruction. This may involve extra time to complete tests or assignments, or the option to complete their work in a separate classroom setting free from distractions during the school day. At home, when working with your child allow them to count on their fingers or write their calculations down, instead of encouraging them to do it all in their head. Allow them to use a calculator and draw pictures if needed. If they like music, use it to help them memorize certain math concepts. And most importantly, talk to your child about their diagnosis and how they will be able to succeed in math despite their learning difficulty.
Math is a subject in which success is highly affected by psychological factors, including anxiety. Anxiety is more than just a sense of worry – it’s a chemical reaction in the brain that can affect cognitive processing and cause physical symptoms, including fast breathing, heart palpitations and sweating.
Students with math anxiety don’t simply dislike math. For these students, math causes debilitating feelings of fear and failure that hurt their ability to perform. The pressure and lack of confidence these students feel when faced with math causes their brain to freeze and forget even the things they do know.
It is important to keep in mind that for some learners, math anxiety is the result of a history of poor performance due to an unaddressed learning or motor skills difficulty, or gaps in a child’s learning history.
Your child may be experiencing math anxiety, which is different from dyscalculia, although similar symptoms may be found with each. With math anxiety, your child may worry about their math skills although they are not showing any low performance issues. For example, a child with math anxiety may fear they didn’t do well on a test or assignment, even though they studied and know the material. A child with dyscalculia can study the material the same and should be comfortable with the material, but they are still unable to grasp the material. Students with anxiety can do the work and do well, but when they experience anxiety, it takes over and causes them to lose focus.
The first solution to overcoming math anxiety is help your child change their outlook on math. Provide them with an encouraging space where they can communicate honestly about their math fears. Then help them through homework and other assignments to focus on all the questions and concepts they answered correctly, instead of what they may have done incorrectly. This will help them to recenter their focus and highlight their math abilities instead of their math flaws.
Another great option is to enroll your child into a tutoring program or a specialized math learning center such as Mathnasium. Tutoring will allow your child to receive one-on-one attention in a safe, judgment-free environment with a professional who enjoys math and can increase your child’s math confidence and help to relieve their math anxiety. Tutors can also make math fun, catering to your child’s interest and creating an action plan that is just for them.
If your child is struggling with math and you are searching for ways to help your child, contact us here at Mathnasium by phone or email. We specialize in math instruction and can help your child get back on track!
(303) 979-9077
(303) 979-9077
