Visualizing a math equation helps students with dyscalculia understand the problem. Visualization can be done in the mind and on paper, as students draw out each number as an object that can be physically counted. For example, drawing five boxes to represent the number five gives a student with dyscalculia a better chance to grasp that individual number and work it into the larger picture of the equation. Pictures, charts and graphs are excellent visual tools for people with dyscalculia.
Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are the fundamentals of math. Mastering these fundamentals in middle and high school gives students a platform from which to understand advanced math, such as algebra and calculus. Unlike most students, those with dyscalculia have a hard time memorizing these fundamental operations. Quick reference tables that show the complete addition, subtraction, multiplication and division tables are good learning and memorization tools. Students with dyscalculia should have these on hand at all times, unless taking a test that forbids notes. Seeing the complete picture through a table makes the concept stick better.
Dyslexic students are often asked to read aloud, or listen to someone reading aloud for them. Similarly, students with dyscalculia benefit from hearing a math problem read aloud slowly, and perhaps several times in a row. One of the major issues for those with dyscalculia is interpreting an equation that is written on paper. Hearing it aloud allows the student to interpret it through a new medium and encourages visualization.
Numbers cluttered together on a page present a huge problem for students with dyscalculia. When a person with dyscalculia reads an equation or word problem, the numbers can blur together in her mind and become indistinguishable. When a student with dyscalculia has a list of math problems to solve during homework or an exam, it helps to separate them with plenty of space, and perhaps give an entire page to each problem. Write the math problems out in large, clear handwriting.
One-on-one tutoring seems like a drastic step to many students and parents, but students with dyscalculia benefit greatly from intimate study sessions. Working with a single person removes some of the pressure and embarrassment a student with a learning disability feels in a large class of people who are "smarter" than he is. Rather than worry about what other students will think or say if she gets the problem wrong, the student's mind will be able to focus on the math equation he's been asked to solve with full attention.