When Trouble With Math Equals a Learning Disability

When Trouble With Math Equals a Learning Disability
Our series on learning disabilities continues with a report on dyscalculia. Transcript of radio broadcast:
20 February 2008


This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

So far in our series on learning disabilities we have talked about problems with reading, writing and movement. Today we talk about a problem that affects the brain's ability to process and understand the meaning of numbers. The name for this is dyscalculia.

Children with dyscalculia have trouble reading numbers and picturing them in their mind. For example, they might mistake a three for an eight because the numbers look similar. They also have trouble counting objects and organizing them by size.

Memory is another issue. Children with dyscalculia may not remember the correct order of operations to follow in solving math problems.

Difficulties like these can lead to a lifelong fear of mathematics.

Of course, just because people have trouble with math does not necessarily mean they have dyscalculia. But experts say parents and teachers may begin to suspect a problem if a child is good at speaking, reading and writing but slow to develop math skills.

Does a child remember printed words but not numbers? Does the child have trouble making sense of time or understanding the order of events, like yesterday, today and tomorrow?

People with dyscalculia might also have a poor sense of direction. They might have difficulty keeping score during games, and limited ability to plan moves during games like chess.

Children suspected of being dyscalculic should be examined by a professional trained to recognize this condition. Experts say the disorder never goes away. But Sheldon Horowitz at the National Center for Learning Disabilities says carefully designed practice can improve math skills.

For example, a teacher might use a number line to help a child understand the difference between larger and smaller numbers. The child could be asked to point to different numbers and to describe their relationship to other numbers on the line.

Or objects could be grouped to represent numbers. Something else that can help children understand number relationships is to have a math problem described in the form of a story.

Experts say students with dyscalculia need extra time to complete their work. Sheldon Horowitz also advises letting them work with a calculator in school.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. Transcripts and MP3s from our series on learning disabilities are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Bob Doughty.

----------------------------Google Translate

当麻烦与数学等于学习障碍
我们的一系列关于学习障碍继续同一份报告，对性计算障碍。全文电台广播：
2008年2月20日

这是美国之音特别英语教育报告。

到目前为止，在我国一系列关于学习障碍我们谈论的问题，阅读，写作和运动。今天我们谈论的问题，影响了大脑的处理能力和理解意义的数字。姓名，因为这是性计算障碍。

儿童性计算障碍有麻烦读人数和想象，他们在他们心中。举例来说，他们可能会错误三年为一个八，因为有多少期待类似。他们也有麻烦计数物体并组织他们按大小。

内存是另外一个问题。儿童性计算障碍可能不记得正确顺序的行动遵循的解决数学问题。

困难像这些可导致终身害怕数学。

当然，只是因为很多人的麻烦与数学并不一定意味着他们性计算障碍。但专家说，家长和老师可能会开始怀疑是一个问题，如果孩子是善于说，读，写，但发展缓慢的数学技能。

难道一个孩子记住印刷字，而不是有多少？难道孩子有麻烦，使时间的意义或理解秩序的事件，如昨天，今天和明天吗？

人与性计算障碍可能也有一个贫穷的方向感。他们可能难以保持评分，在游戏和能力有限，无法计划的动作，在游戏如象棋。

儿童被怀疑dyscalculic应该由专业训练的认识到这一点的条件。专家们说，骚乱从来没有消失。但谢尔顿贺乐维兹在国家中心学习障碍说，精心设计的实践中去，才能提高数学技能。

举例来说，一名教师可能使用了多种线，以帮助孩子明白两者之间的较大和较小的号码。儿童可以询问到一点不同的电话号码，并说明其关系到其他号码上线。

或物体，可归类为代表的数字。别的说，可以帮助孩子们了解有多少关系，就是要有一个数学问题的叙述形式的一个故事。

专家们说，学生的性计算障碍需要额外的时间来完成他们的工作。谢尔顿贺乐维兹还劝导，让他们工作，用计算器在学校。

这也是该美国之音特别英语教育报告书，写的南希steinbach 。誊本及MP3音乐，从我们的系列学习障碍都是在voaspecialenglish.com 。我奥尔布赖特在强悍鲍勃