Elements of Dyscalculia

And why I, as a dyscalculic, often feel alienated by math- and dyscalculia resources.

The first and the second chapter of this article give information about the content of this concept map and a brief description of the life impacts that are often associated with dyscalculia.

In the third chapter I share my thoughts on why I don’t like this concept map and why, as a dyscalculic, I often feel alienated by mathematical materials and resources. And what societal power structures have to do with this.

The fourth chapter deals with dyscalculic mental health.

The fifth chapter contains a small summary of the article.

Welcome along!

1. The concept map

This concept map breaks down and presents the structure of the core mathematical skills¹. They are a complex and a multi-level entity, with many interdependencies and developmental links².

These skills develop hierarchically, the new skill building up on the previous skill(s). This creates a lot of variation in how dyscalculia presents individually. This concept map includes only the very basic mathematical skills. So fields like algebra, geometry or trigonometry, in total, fall outside of this concept map.

The mathematical core skills presented in the concept map, are: symbolic and non-symbolic number sense, counting skills, basic skills in arithmetic and understanding mathematical relations. More information about each individual skill can be found for example here: Stanford University: Dreme

To honor the holistic approach, Mind, body and well being are included in this concept map. So are problems with spatial awareness and memory, which are typical indicators of dyscalculia³, even though their link to the math skills is not so as straightforward.

The small images in the concept map refer to the possible life effects that link to each skill area. These effects are further described in this resource: Mind map / overview of dyscalculia.

2. What I like about this concept map:

What I like about this concept map, is that it helps to bust the myth and stereotype: “bad at math”. This all-encompassing characterization is actually harmful for many dyscalculics. It leads to black and white -thinking, that doesn’t reflect the diversity of dyscalculic realities.

There are dyscalculics, who do face challenges in all the areas of mathematical skills, but for majority of dyscalculics, the challenges present more as a “spiky skill profile”.

Let’s take a quick look on how the challenges might present in everyday life, or working life of different dyscalculic persons.

Starting from school. One of the most typical indicators of dyscalculia is this: difficulties memorizing times tables. This is because many dyscalculics have problems in the area of the basic arithmetic skills, meaning that the arithmetic combinations don’t automatize in the brain. This makes memorizing times tables impossible or difficult and demanding a dyscalculic learner to memorize all the multiplication tables, is not usually recommended⁴. Nevertheless it is also important to acknowledge, that dyscalculia has many long term life consequences, that stretch far beyond school years. And also in school dyscalculia impacts across the curriculum⁵, not just at math class.

There are dyscalculics who can’t read numbers at all. This hugely limits their life, work, possibilities in general and their capability to take care of themselves, and others. Some dyscalculics only struggle with some particular areas of math, but might get on quite well with some others. There are dyscalculic architects and engineers⁶. I also know a dyscalculic, who has made a long career at a bank. Some dyscalculics can read numbers just fine, but have various difficulties with the calculations that are needed when using the clock and making schedules. This can make their occupational possibilities very limited.

All dyscalculics have dyscalculia, regardless of how their symptoms manifests, so terms like “more dyscalculic” or “less dyscalculic” are not very useful. Some dyscalculics need support from other people on daily basis, some only occasionally. Regardless of the manifestation, dyscalculia can limit the autonomy of the person and pose restrictions on their life possibilities. Belonging to some other marginalized community/ communities, further adds this vulnerability.

3. What I don’t like about this concept map

And why do I often feel alienated by many materials that deal with mathematics and dyscalculia?

Processing numerical data can be a burdensome activity to dyscalculics, for many reasons. Many dyscalculics experience anxiousness, fear or straightforward nausea in association to looking at or processing numerical information. Very often calculating tax your energy resources: you feel physically tired and powerless after the calculation tasks. To some extent I have personal experience of these all. But this is not what I am about to write about in this chapter.

I am going to talk about the feelings I’ve countered when reading materials that conceptualize dyscalculia. Especially those that deal with the cognitive aspects of this learning difficulty. I often have to psych myself up a bit, before taking a look at these resources.

The first reason for the feeling of alienation is, that many cognitive resources completely exclude the memory deficits, problems with spatial awareness, mental health aspects⁷ ⁸ and lifecourse effects⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ of dyscalculia. While I understand that to some extent, at the same time I feel that these topics should be brought up in every situation when talking about dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is about life, life experiences and social realities, not just about math skills or -deficits.

The second alienating factor has to do with hierarchies.

I frequently get to answer the question: “What would have helped you the most, as a child, with math, at school?” My answer is typically: a math teacher with a minor in social work with disabled people. Usually this causes a small laughter. People simultaneously understand why I answer like this, and realize that this is / would be quite an “unlikely” professional combination.

I want to make it clear – especially if some readers are not familiar with the field of dyscalculia – there are many brilliant math teachers, mathematicians, neurologists, and researchers who are working and volunteering with dyscalculia advocacy and with dyscalculic people. Their engagement, knowledge and effort are irreplaceable.

Dyscalculic people also need the help of allies in raising awareness around dyscalculia. There’s often so much shame and stigma associated with poor numeracy, that talking openly about dyscalculia is not possible for dyscalculics themselves. If you are someone with normative or proficient (good) math skills, you can be an important ally to dyscalculic people.

I can’t stress enough the importance and role of the professionals of mathematical sciences working on dyscalculia. At the same time: we need to look into: what does this reaction, this laughter, point to? Because it leads us to notions and analysis, that is crucially important for dyscalculic mental health.

. . . . . .

I have had many conversations about this theme, with different people, with varying professional backgrounds. The discussions often lead to this: the power-structures and hierarchies coming exceptionally visible and tangible around dyscalculia. Excellence in math is something, that many ways locates to a very high status position in the society, whereas disability - well, in many ways quite the opposite. And this brings about the laughter. And why it is intuitively recognized as uncommon, if someone would be interested in both mathematics and disability.

In our society, there are a great deal of explicit and implicit cultural values and ideas associated to math. Being good at math is hugely valued, praised and admired, especially in western societies. Math skills are also often directly equated with intelligence. And to top it off (pun intended!), the inherent hierarchy of math.

These reflect to several aspects in the field of dyscalculia. To the research, to the awareness and advocacy, and to how dyscalculia is conceptualized.

Naturally, this also reflects to the dyscalculia resources, and how it feels like to use them as a dyscalculic human being. Especially the visual materials and resources with hierarchical layouts.

4. Dyscalculia and mental health

But even more importantly, these hierarchies reflect and impact the dyscalculic mental health and social realities.

The dyscalculic community carries a lot of internalized shame and trauma associated with math, numeracy, and the societal and cultural hierarchies related to them. Many core reasons for dyscalculic mental health challenges are rooted around these issues. Unpacking the layers of internalized ableism is an important well being factor in this context.

Dyscalculics have a close, in many ways very “raw” and intimate relationship with these hierarchies. We feel them on our skin. However necessary in science, in real life and social realities hierarchies are often hurtful.

. . . . . .

Learning to understand dyscalculia often begins from getting to know dyscalculic life stories, listening to lived experience, and receiving general information about dyscalculia. This is definitely a good thing, and a necessary part of deepening your dyscalculia awareness.

I believe that we could also benefit from a critical examination of: what does having good or excellent math skills actually encompass? What ideas and thoughts do we associate with this? How do we position ourselves in correlation to it?

How does being good at math affect someones life? How do we regard someone, who is very talented in math? What actually characterizes the phenomenon “good at math”?

Looking at all this, could be useful for dyscalculics as well. Since this - or the opposite of this, lack of it - is usually what we have internalized and what has shaped our views of ourselves, our self esteem, and our self worth. Could looking into “good at math”, help us gain a more precise, complete and clear understanding of what we’re actually dealing with?

We can’t altogether change the collective cultural values, biases, or change the undercurrents running below the phenomenon of dyscalculia, but we can grow our awareness about them. Through this awareness we will gain much deeper understanding on how to better support dyscalculic mental health.

5. Summary

In this article, I wrote about the effects and implications of dyscalculia, from an individual, communal and societal perspective.

I described, how and why, I often feel alienated around materials that deal with math and dyscalculia.

In the end I wrote about how societal hierarchies become tangible in the context of dyscalculia, and why the mathematical proficiency (=being good at math), and the high values we associate with these skills, should be critically examined, and why this examination is especially important from the perspective of dyscalculic mental health.

In this article, or the “afterthought of an article”, I am only scratching the surface on these topics. I am writing this as a conversation starter, as a suggestion. Curious to see, what follows <3

xxxSasu

---

The writer of this article is a teacher, an educator, and a bachelor of social services. And also someone with lived experience on dyscalculia.

1. The Finnish ministry of education and culture: Think Math-blog https://blogs.helsinki.fi/thinkmath/in-english/mathematics/core-mathematical-skills/

2. Niilo Mäki -instituutti: Lukimat-online page. (a Finnish clinic that offers (neuro)psychological assessment and counseling for children with learning difficulties) https://www.lukimat.fi/matematiikka/tietopalvelu/taitojen-kehitys.html

3. Dyscalculia Network > What is dyscalculia https://dyscalculianetwork.com/what-is-dyscalculia/

4. Discovering Dyscalculia > Blog https://discoveringdyscalculia.com/blog/dyscalculia-and-memorizing-multiplication-tables

5. Dyscalculia Network: Maths across the curriculum. https://dyscalculianetwork.com/maths-across-the-curriculum/

6. Oxford University > Dyscalculic Strengths https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/dyscalculia

7. Aro, T., Eklund, K., Eloranta, A.-K., Närhi, V., Korhonen, E., & Ahonen, T. (2019). Associations Between Childhood Learning Disabilities and Adult-Age Mental Health Problems, Lack of Education, and Unemployment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 52(1), 71-83. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219418775118

8. Aro, T., Özbek, A. B., & Torppa, M. (2024 a). Predicting adult-age mental health with childhood reading and math disability: do resilience and coping styles matter? Annals of Dyslexia, 74(1), 97-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-023-00290-8

9. Parsons, Samantha; Bynner, John (1997). Numeracy and employment. Education and training. March 1997 DOI: 10.1108/00400919710164125 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240959556_Numeracy_and_employment

10. Parsons, Samantha; Bynner, John (2005). Does numeracy matter more? National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy. Institute of Education. University of London. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1566245/1/parsons2006does.pdf

11. Hakkarainen, Airi (2016) Matematiikan ja lukemisen vaikeuksien yhteys toisen asteen koulutuspolkuun ja jatko-opintoihin tai työelämään sijoittumiseen. The link between maths and reading difficulties and the pathway to secondary education and further studies or employment. Väitöskirjatutkimus. Joensuun yliopisto. Dissertations in Education, Humanities, and Theology. https://erepo.uef.fi/items/45d921c2-df92-4920-8338-acf4e78803df