Dyscalculia exercises help alleviate arithmetical difficulties. They promote both concrete mathematical skills as well as general strategies against the dyscalculia. There are a variety of exercise methods that can be used individually. Find out about the types, structure and goals of dyscalculia exercises here!
Dyscalculia Exercises: Different Methods
There are a variety of calculator exercises on the market. They are based on different learning systems based on, for example, flash cards, boxes and software. Let yourself be advised by the supervising specialists when choosing suitable dyscalculia exercises for your child! Recommendations of different methods of promotion and exercise can be found, for example, on the website of the German Association of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia e.V ..
Dyscalculia: Exercise setup
Dyscalculia exercises can be of great help to children with dyscalculia. For this purpose, however, the course of the exercise and the content must be carefully selected and tailored to the individual strengths and weaknesses of the child.
At the beginning of an exercise, it is important to focus the child’s attention on the dyscalculia exercises and clearly define the problem. This is not always possible, nor can concentration be enforced. In case of difficulty concentrating, it is therefore advisable to shorten the units. It is generally recommended to start the dyscalculia exercises on a low requirement level and to perform them only in short (15 to 20 minutes) and throughout the day. The learning speed should be well regulated.
Once mastered arithmetic is generally understood, but repetition is still an integral part of a training concept.
As part of the dyscalculia exercises, individual calculation steps should be verbalized again and again. Only by a linguistic description can it be ensured that a calculation process has been understood. Donkey bridges are usually not recommended as they do not solve difficulties but skip them.
Contents of the dyscalculia exercises
In terms of content, dyscalculia exercises are used first to develop simple mathematical concepts. These include basic operations such as plus and minus calculations and dealing with the decimal system. The selection of dyscalculia exercises depends on the mathematical section in which a child needs special help.
An important exercise is, for example, positioning a number on the number line. With this exercise, the child should get a feel for the number space. In addition, it should learn operational strategies in dealing with mathematical challenges.
Evaluation of dyscalculia exercises
The solutions of the dyscalculia exercises should not simply be evaluated by the caregiver as wrong or correct. Instead, on the one hand, the unprivileged child should learn to make mistakes himself and, on the other hand, great importance should be attached to the calculation method. Finally, it is important to summarize the individual steps. Language can clarify mathematical issues. Low blows should be discussed with the child and analyzed!
Dyscalculia Exercises: Goals
The goals of the dyscalculia exercises must be well defined and agreed upon with the child. This is very important for the child to give him a clear and realistic perspective. The selection of the exercise substance must be carefully made in close consultation with all the helpers involved. The dyscalculia exercises should specifically promote those areas in which a child has weaknesses. Basically, a program with less than much content should be chosen, as dyscalculia already leads to excessive demands in the classroom. If the extra exercise program is then very extensive, it unnecessarily increases the pressure on the child. A modest amount of dyscalculia exercises, on the other hand, allows for a sense of achievement and keeps the child’s motivation high.
In general, the goal of Dyscalculia exercises is that the affected child can follow the math lesson of his class and acquire the level of mathematical understanding necessary for life.