Lesser Known Disorders
Each issue of this series contains at least three lesser known disorders. Some of these disorders may contain subtypes which will also be presented. You will also notice that each disorder has a code. These codes represent the coding system for all disabilities and disorders listed in the Educator’s Diagnostic Manual(EDM) Wiley Publications.
Disorders in this issue:
LD – 2.03- Basic Number Fact Dyscalculia
Disability Category: Learning Disability
Definition
A type of dyscalculia specifically associated with difficulties in memorizing and retaining basic arithmetic facts (e.g., the answers to 8 – 2, 7 + 1, or 12 x 2).
Explanation
Individuals with Basic Number Fact Dyscalculia may have the ability to remember certain arithmetic facts, however, they have great difficulties memorizing and remembering as many of these facts as other children compared to their ages and grade levels.
Also, children with Basic Number Fact Dyscalculia appear to forget facts rather easily. For them, they may struggle for years, will count their fingers to add and subtract, and seem unable to develop or have severe difficulties developing efficient memory strategies on their own (Garnett, 1998).
LD- 2.05- Estimation Dyscalculia
Disability Category: Learning Disability
Definition
A type of dyscalculia specifically associated with difficulties in understanding and estimating number size.
Explanation
Students with Estimation Dyscalculia seem to have an impaired sense of number size. This may affect tasks involving estimating numbers in a collection, as well as comparing numbers. Examples include:
When asked to estimate the number of marbles in a jar of 12, a student says, “about 100”.
When looking at a picture of a full football stadium of 50,000 fans and asked “How many fans do you think are in this stadium?”, the child estimates that there are about 300.
LD – 2.07- Measurement Dyscalculia
Disability Category: Learning Disability
Definition
A type of dyscalculia specifically associated with difficulties in understanding measurement concepts used in math.
Explanation
Students with Measurement Dyscalculia often experience difficulties in comprehending and/or applying measurement principles associated with math. These include such concepts as:
- speed (miles per hour)
- temperature (energy per unit of mass)
- averages
- proportions
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