Learning Areas
Teaching Standards
General Description
Dyscalculia is sometimes referred to as ‘the mathematical equivalent of dyslexia’. It is believed to be as common as dyslexia yet few teachers are aware of its features, its impact or strategies they could use to support students who struggle with maths because they have this specific learning difficulty. This course helps teachers to identify dyscalculic students and to understand the difficulties typically experienced by these students. It provides opportunity to learn about and trial strategies and resources that can be used in supporting dyscalculic students. The course will be of interest to all primary school teachers and to those secondary Maths teachers interested in helping students to address specific deficits that limit their progress.
Audience
Primary school teachers – new and experienced
Secondary school Maths teachers and SEN teachers
Available Delivery Formats
Format Description
24/7 lifetime course access
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- If you have a TTA subscription or membership please ignore the pricing when enrolling. Rest assured if your school has a subscription you will not be charged and for Memberships, your invoice will be adjusted accordingly to reflect your discount.
- If you have no subscription or membership but you are interested in placing a bulk discounted order for a team of teachers see the ONLINE TEAM tab above.
- For more details on our Unlimited Online Subscription packages Click here .
- Money-Back Guarantee – If you complete less than 25% of an online course and aren’t impressed, simply visit tta.edu/go/refund to let us know what happened, and we will cancel your enrolment and provide a full refund.
The online format of this course provides the participant with the skills and opportunity to:
- identify strengths and weaknesses of individuals with dyscalculia in their workplace
- trial/implement some of the strategies and resources that can be used to support individuals with dyscalculia and
- discuss the outcomes of trials/implementation with fellow participants and the presenters in Forums.
Teaching Standards
1.1.2 Proficient Level – Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
1.2.2 Proficient Level – Understand how students learn
1.5.2 Proficient Level – Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
1.6.2 Proficient Level – Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
2.5.2 Proficient Level – Literacy and numeracy strategies
Are you in NSW? If so, this is relevant for you
Completing this course will contribute 6 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Registered PD addressing 1.1.2, 1.2.2, 1.5.2, 1.6.2 & 2.5.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
This course contributes to 6.0 professional development hours.
Occurrences
Sessions
Defining dyscalculia
45 minutes
Participants will be presented with definitions of dyscalculia. They will watch a video about the causes of dyscalculia and read an article about the brain research that is shedding light on its causes. They will be asked to use a list of characteristics to identify a student likely to be dyscalculic.
Assessment tools for identifying dyscalculia
1 hour
Participants will look at a number of tools used for screening for dyscalculia. They will work through a demonstration of Brian Butterworth’s Dyscalculia Screener. They will look at video introductions to several other electronic screeners. They will then look at ways of identifying dyscalculic individuals through interview and short pencil and paper tests.
Number sense and Counting
1 hour
Participants will be provided with general principles for teaching Maths to dyscalculic students then learn about the particular difficulty these students have with developing number sense. They will watch a video on building number sense. They will be provided with activities, strategies and access to resources and asked to trial some of these with students. The resources will include free electronic games and free and low-costs apps.
Calculation and Place Value - using manipulatives
1 hour and 15 minutes
Participants will be introduced to 3 manipulatives-based programs that can support dyscalculic students and provided with videos showing how manipulatives can be effectively used to address their particular deficits and use their strengths. They will be shown activities and strategies for developing understanding and memory of number bonds and strategies for addition and subtraction. They will be introduced to apps that can help students to develop automaticity. They will have the opportunity to look at computer-based programs such as Numbershark and Dynamo Maths through videos. They will be encouraged to trial some of the strategies, activities and programs and share outcomes with fellow participants.
Multiplication and Division - reasoning, the area model and automacity
1 hour and 10 minutes
In this module, participants will be introduced to methods of helping dyscalculic students to learn multiplication facts, including use of reasoning from key facts, the area model and colour and rhythm. They will be provided with videos that demonstrate strategies. They will be shown how to teach multiplication and division side by side. They will be provided with an extensive list of online games for developing automaticity. They will be encouraged to trial at least one strategy and share the outcomes with participants
Understanding Time and solving problems
50 minutes
Participants will be introduced to some novel methods for teaching dyscalculic students how to understand and calculate time. They will be given insight into the difficulty dyscalculic students have with Maths language and models for teaching comprehension and problem-solving. They will be asked to create a resource for supporting language use.
User Rating
4.7Latest Reviews
Please note the feedback listed here is unfiltered, and includes all comments and ratings collected.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
03/12/2019
The course provided a lot of relevant content from understanding what Dyscalculia is to the many strategies and resources that are available to use.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
03/12/2019
Great quality and very relevant for the classroom.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
03/12/2019
Excellent and apt
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
03/12/2019
I found this course very helpful as it clearly outline what Dyscalculia is and practical ways that we are able to teach students mathematical concepts.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
03/12/2019
Enjoyed the course. A lot of it was revision for me as I have read several books/articles before
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
17/09/2019
The quality and relevance of this course is excellent. The information is comprehensive and provides practical strategies to use in the classroom and with individual students.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
17/09/2019
The course was of high quality and well-presented.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
17/09/2019
Need more in-depth knowledge which can not be obtained in a short course like this. As a teacher, I don’t need to know how brains functions but want to know more about the strategies on how to deal with it.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
Highly relevant, informative with practical strategies for the classroom An excellent course with academic content and practical strategies.
Nicole Saap
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
This course was excellent. I found the information east to read and the resources provided invaluable.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
The course is very informative and an adequate research has been done for all the information.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
This course has been extremely relevant to my role as a Learning Support teacher in assisting students in Mathematics classes with mainstream and Life Skill NESA Mathematics programs. This course has been extremely relevant to my role as a Learning Support teacher. In fact all teachers of Mathematics should do a course like this as there are so many students who have a diagnosis of Dyscalculia and of course those who do not. The importance of Mathematics as a real life skill cannot be underestimated and all students who be encouraged to develop these skills to function in real life.
Michele Langdon
Academic Support Coordinator
Loreto Kirribilli
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
This course has been extremely relevant and assisted my understanding of the breadth of the condition of Dyscalculia. My skills in assisting in Mathematics classes and Life Skill program development have improved significantly. More tools in my tool belt so to speak. This is an excellent course providing essential knowledge for all teachers of Mathematics. To have an understanding of the breadth of difficulty that students who have been diagnosed with Dyscalculia is so important. These students are in all of our classes and it so important that they develop the essential life skills in Mathematics as the very basic.
Michele Langdon
Academic Support Coordinator
Loreto Kirribilli
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
Well explained with many practical tips. Steven Wood. Maronite College of the Holy Family.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
great info
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
There was a lot of content in this course. But all was helpful for secondary
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
This course has highlighted all the resources available to our school for catering to better programs for our students.
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
it was very informative
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
An eye opening course to the struggles of those who struggle with numbers... especially to me, as numbers make my world go round. The course was highly relevant and of a high quality. Thank you!
Dyscalculia: The Dyslexia of Maths - Shirley Houston
02/09/2019
Excellent. Lots of terrific information.
About the team
Shirley Houston
Creator
Shirley has a Masters degree in Special Education and has been teaching in the area of Special Needs for 30 years. She has taught in government and independent schools, primary and secondary, universities and TAFE. Shirley has also taught in several states of Australia and in the U.S. Her particular interests are specific learning difficulties, early childhood, education of young gifted children and literacy. She loves travel, reading and music.