Math deficits affect about six percent of the population of school age children in our country. Struggling in math has a definite impact in our household. Our ninth grader struggles with this subject on a regular basis. He has my deepest empathy; I am no math wiz myself.
Math skills and the ability to reason in this area are imperative in today’s world. Effects of failing math in school and math illiteracy in adult life can seriously handicap everyday life and most vocational prospects. Although struggling with this disability myself has hindered any stringent tutorial help on the subject, it has been an asset in the sense that I can relate to the problem of comprehension and assist in teaching Randy the tools and strategies necessary. We have a kind of camaraderie when it comes to arithmetic.
We began with flash cards. Shortly after the boys moved in, we had an assessment period. I had no idea where they were academically, other than a few random report cards from the past. We started with the basics, reading, writing, and ‘rithmatic. Daniel was fairly adept at comprehending simple math flashcards in a timely manner. It was immediately obvious Randy was not. The red flags went up as he struggled to computate the most basic addition and subtraction problems. I could relate to his strained efforts. Without guidance, I knew Randy would most likely respond to learning math with lowered self esteem, lack of effort, and avoidance behaviors; typical reactions of a child diagnosed with ADHD and learning disorders, and personality traits already in place with him.
After assessing his lack of capability, I requested a meeting with his math teacher for short term guidance and an ARD meeting (Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process) for his long term benefit.
After assessment, Randy was placed in a Special Resource class. His confidence and self esteem immediately elevated.
Our next step was to incorporate teaching strategies around the house. We used everyday household items to relate to simple math. Measuring cups and spoons helped in understanding different math concepts including fluid weight and fractions. A measuring tape and a ruler were helpful with understanding length measurements and again fractions. We counted change and stacked it in increments of certain amounts to equal a portion of a dollar, for example, five nickels equal a quarter and so do two nickels, a dime, and five pennies. We still use change as a tool by letting the boys count and roll coins. We spent a lot of time on the calculator working out simple multiplication and division problems and transferring them to paper to get the whole picture. We have even used recipes on occasion, to reinforce math skills. Using tools that don’t smack of arithmetic are great learning strategies available at home. Making cookies does not constitute a math lesson to Randy, but it’s exactly that when following the recipe.
It is easy for a student to become overwhelmed in the classroom. His teacher has an agenda and if the student can’t keep up with the class’s learning pace, he is lost. The learning disabled student is usually listening to instruction from his teacher or doing silent written work. This teaching style is typically lacking in effective learning strategy for an LD student. Therefore, it is imperative to reinforce math education at home.