Discalculia not taken as seriously as Dyslexia.

[sweetnessandlite]

Alll my life I have battled with maths. My mother spent a fortune every term on tutors for me, plus extra maths lessons during the holidays - you name it, I had it, year after year, but Nothing Worked.

As an adult I still battle with maths (even the simple stuff .

Now I've wondered if I'm discalculate. I found reading and writing at school very easy, so I'm obviously not dyslexic (I don't think?). But numbers are all gobbldygook to me.

I've noticed that dyslexia has a lot of attention and there's a lot of help for dyslexists, but I never hear of much help for people that are bad at numbers.

Yes, I know there are courses at college to help adults with literacy and numeracy skills - but I think they are geared more towards pupils that slipped through the net at school and didn't learn the basics, but with the right tuition can get to grips with maths again.

But, is there anything for those of us (espcially adults) who have a real problem?
Any advice?
Most jobs now require you to have GCSE in Maths.

Steve Chinn writes very useful books about Dyscalculia.

Getting a formal diagnosis is much more difficult than getting dyslexia diagnosed because most L.A.s can't diagnose it themselves via Educational Psychologists etc in the same way as they can diagnose dyslexia.

I believe it's a medical diagnosis but I wouldn't know how to go about getting one. Try Google?

Try this site

dyscalculia info

The test is designed with children in mind, but can be taken by adults, I think it costs about £50. The test looks at time, fractions, calculations, money, measure etc.

The results are emailed back to you the same day. With feedback identifying how long you took to answer each question/how long the test took overall. It also identifies the areas of difficulties you may have. It will also state whether or not you 'may' have dyscalculia.

The report is basic and looks unprofessional (no letterheads etc), it isn't a 'diagnosis' and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be recognised by an educational establishment.

The resources and ideas to overcome areas of difficulty are aimed at primary aged children and not really appropriate for older students or adults, but it is quite a good resource if you want to just discover if you fit the profile of dyscalculia and areas of difficulty.

I am pretty sure my dd has dyscalculia. I see it as being where dyslexia was 20 odd years ago. Largely unrecognised and in some cases people are sceptical.

My dd has no concept of number or time or money. She is 14 and despite one on one tuition at school she also remains pretty much unteachable. It is literally number blindness isn't it?

I have no advice but feel your frustration.

i don't think it isn't taken as seriously, but I do think it is far less researched and understood than dyslexia.

I know GL assessment do a screener but I can't speak as to reliability.