Recognition and remediation of mathematical learning disabilities in schools

Math Learning Problem

Mathematical learning challenges are widespread, significant and deserve focused instructional attention to be dealt with, both in conventional and special classes. Repeated failure may result in students having low self-esteem, withdrawing effort or avoiding mathematics. Additionally, lack of understanding of mathematical concepts can have a huge effect on one's management of his or her day-to-day affairs, and also career prospects and progression. Mathematical learning challenges could vary in severity, in addition to being evident in several different ways. The most frequently seen math difficulties are often associated with lack of efficient remembrance of basic math facts and the lack of ability to understand written problems. When these two problems are coupled with a lack of comprehension of spatial and mathematical relations, then the student is often faced by computational difficulties that he or she may regard as impossible to overcome. In such a situation, it is crucial not to concentrate just on remediation of computational difficulties, because while doing so will be important, it can deny full mathematical education of students who are otherwise capable. Language disabilities, even to smaller degrees, can hamper the learning of mathematical concepts. It has also been found that many students with language disability have a tendency of avoiding the verbalization of concepts in arithmetic activities, a tendency that is frequently made worse by the manner through which math is usually taught in the United States.

DISCUSSION

While kids with difficulties in mathematics are usually categorized under the term people with Learning Disabilities, rarely do children with such difficulties get referred for evaluation. In many school districts, special education classes are often only provided to children who have reading difficulties. Even after cases where the students with math learning difficulties have been identified as being LD (Learning Disabled), not many of them are provided with comprehensive evaluation and remedial measures taken to alleviate those math difficulties. This neglect of children with such difficulties might result in the majority of teachers and parents thinking that such math learning problems are very few, or that they aren't serious problems. Despite such beliefs existing in the American society, it has been found that about 6% of school-going children have huge math learning difficulties, and among the children who have been categorized as LD, arithmetic problems are as common as reading problems. This doesn't automatically mean that the children with arithmetic difficulties also have reading problems or vice versa, instead it means that children with math learning difficulties are common in the society and also in need of equal attention and care (Gable, Tonelson, Sheth & Wilson, 2012).

Failure in mathematical tests is often shown in students who are deaf or those who have hearing difficulties, and this is due to several reasons, such as difficulties with language, insufficient instruction approaches and inadequate arithmetical learning experiences (Gable, Tonelson, Sheth & Wilson, 2012). In terms of the language aspect of learning mathematics, an idea can be explained in a variety of ways in English; instances that ambiguous words are used to explain concepts can also not be avoided, resulting in obstacles to learning math concepts being expressed (Gable, Tonelson, Sheth & Wilson, 2012). For both children with math LD and those without such problems, mathematics vocabulary and language can bring about difficulties that are quite dissimilar compared to normal reading situations. A particular research investigated several common math learning problem areas for students who had hearing difficulties, including (a) ambiguous words, (b) words with special meanings in mathematics, (c) words with different but related forms (d) notations and abbreviations and (e) technical words. The research revealed that the highest proportion of errors in handling mathematical problems was found in problems with technical words (Gable, Tonelson, Sheth & Wilson, 2012).

According to Garnett (1998), some of the students who are math LD have a very good understanding of math concepts; they are, however, not consistent in their computations. They are frequently unreliable at taking into account operational signs, carrying over numbers in the correct way or borrowing numbers, and even following the steps in problems that involve several steps to be solved. The students may also have a challenge in mastering basic math facts or concepts. Many LD students have difficulty memorizing fundamental number facts in all four essential math operations (Garnett, 1998), in spite of enough understanding and effort directed at attempting to do so. For instance rather than readily or automatically knowing that 7+5=12, or that 6x4=24, these students continue with difficulty over many years to count using circles, pencil marks or their fingers, and they also seem not able to build effective memory strategies of their own (Garnett, 1998). For some experts, this shows their significant math learning disability and in such situations, the students should not be made to repeat classes. Instead, interventions, such as allowing them to use a pocket-sized facts card, can enable them to handle complex problems and applications. If allowed to do so, the moment a student demonstrates improvement in memorizing a certain number fact, it should be whitewashed from the facts card. Having a set of answers available and also finding it in the same place every time can help with memorization. Deleting a number fact that is memorized can help to cut overdependence on the facts card, motivating the student to learn other facts (Vesel & Robillard, 2013).