Why Johnny Can't Math-and What to Do About It.

There are many areas in which to shine in mathematics, but unfortunately, there are also many areas in which to struggle. As with the language domain, mathematics is a broad topic with many associated cognitive tasks, each demanding a unique skill set. Many students simply need additional instructional time and structure, while others need individualized therapies that acknowledge their specific strengths and needs. Treat math instruction with the same kind of thoughtful and targeted strategies that are applied to reading and language arts instruction. We need to be similarly diagnostic and prescriptive within the context of math!

Math disabilities resulting from general cognitive deficits in language processing, executive functioning or memory systems can be addressed using whole-to-part, multimodal therapies that show the big picture first, and structures how the parts are connected to the whole. Students develop language skills necessary to describe math concepts and relationships as they perceive and process them. Math-specific issues related to the representation of quantity will also be addressed in terms of a diagnostic- prescriptive approach.

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Reference material and other related links:

Characteristics of Language Based Instruction Within Math Class - ©2019 Christopher L. Woodin and WoodinMath.com

Demystifying Math Struggles and Identifying Strategies to Help- C. Woodin and the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity

Number Sense and Dyscalculia, Wilson,W., Dehaene, S. 2007 INSERM-CEA Unit 562 « Cognitive Neuroimaging » Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA-DRM-DSV Orsay, France appearing in: Human Behavior, Learning, and the Developing Brain: Atypical Development. Edited by Coch D, Dawson G, Fischer K: Guilford Press, New York 2007.

Olumide A. Olulade, D. Lynn Flowers, Eileen M. Napolielo, Guinevere F. Eden Brain Lang. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2014 May 1.Published in final edited form as: Brain Lang. 2013 May; 125(2): 134–145. Published online 2012 May 5. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2012.04.003 PMCID: PMC3426643

DUAL CODING THEORY AND EDUCATION Allan Paivio, University of Western Ontario Draft chapter for the conference on “Pathways to Literacy Achievement for High Poverty Children,” The University of Michigan School of Education, September 29-October 1, 2006.