An Introduction to Dyscalculia

As a privately practicing psychologist, Uzi Ben-Ami, Ph.D., addresses a variety of cognitive and emotional challenges, including dyscalculia and other learning disabilities. Uzi Ben-Ami, Ph.D., stands out as the co-author of the book Many Ways to Learn: Young People's Guide to Learning Disabilities, an American Psychological Association publication.

Just as dyslexia makes it difficult for students to understand and write a composition, dyscalculia challenges one's ability to succeed in math. The specific difficulties that each child experiences may be different, and thus there is no cohesive picture of the disability.

Young children with dyscalculia struggle with number sense, which educators define as the understanding that the numeral 7 and the word “seven” represent the same value. They may also struggle with concepts of larger and smaller, which extends to challenges in understanding place value, positives and negatives, and basic math operations.

Children with dyscalculia can also have trouble understanding the organization and processes of mathematics. They may understand basic mathematical facts but may not be able to apply that knowledge to analyze and reason an answer to a problem from beginning to the end. For this reason, they often benefit from the use of diagrams, manipulatives, and mnemonic devices to help them conceptualize a mathematical construct and generalize. Some have difficulty remembering the systematic approach to specific math problem resolutions.