Signs and Symptoms

• Shows difficulty understanding concepts of place value, and quantity, number lines, positive and negative value, carrying and borrowing
• Has difficulty understanding and doing word problems
• Has difficulty sequencing information or events
• Exhibits difficulty using steps involved in math operations
• Shows difficulty understanding fractions
• Is challenged making change and handling money
• Displays difficulty recognizing patterns when adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing
• Has difficulty putting language to math processes
• Has difficulty understanding concepts related to time such as days, weeks, months, seasons, quarters, etc.
• Exhibits difficulty organizing problems on the page, keeping numbers lined up, following through on long division problems

Strategies

• Allow use of fingers and scratch paper
• Use diagrams and draw math concepts
• Provide peer assistance
• Suggest use of graph paper
• Suggest use of colored pencils to differentiate problems
• Work with manipulatives
• Draw pictures of word problems
• Use mneumonic devices to learn steps of a math concept
• Use rhythm and music to teach math facts and to set steps to a beat
• Schedule computer time for the student for drill and practice