Early warning signs of dyscalculia

Research has shown that that early intervention when a child has dyscalculia will provide the best results for remediation. So below a number of early warning signs that should prompt you to seek further information. For example via https://dyscalculiascreener.org

Toddler warning signs

  • late with learning the counting words in order, or rattles of 1-10 like one big word
  • no one-to-one correspondence
  • doesn’t enjoy building blocks and puzzles
  • difficulty directional words: under, next to, behind, before
  • difficulty memorizing events, what’s the order of events in a day
    KG
  • late with learning the counting words in order, or rattles of 1-10 like one big word
  • can’t count back
  • no one-to-one correspondence
  • does not recognize the dice patterns
  • only sorts by color, not by size, shape, length, or quantity
  • difficulty sequencing even everyday events
  • can’t complete an ABAB pattern
  • avoids visual puzzles
    Grade 1
  • keeps ‘counting all’ instead of ‘counting on’
  • miscounts quantities above 10
  • difficulty knowing which number is larger
  • perceives written numbers as a scribble or a sign, not something that indicates a quantity
  • can’t remember ten-bonds and addition facts
  • doesn’t split and recombine small numbers
  • can’t work with steps on a number line
  • confuses -teen and -ty numbers
  • doesn’t know left and right yet
    Grade 2 – 3
  • keeps counting by one on fingers, slow
  • doesn’t see add and subtract as reverse operations
  • can’t remember addition and subtraction facts
  • sees column algorithm as unconnected questions
  • place value and regrouping is difficult
  • can’t choose the operation in a word problem
  • seems to know it one day, forgets it the next
  • can develop accuracy but does not develop fluency or automaticity
  • doesn’t like analogue clocks
  • doesn’t know left and right
  • math anxiety
    Grade 4-5
  • keeps counting or using tally marks, so slower
  • adding seems the default mode
  • can’t remember multiplication facts
  • doesn’t see multiply and divide as reverse operations
  • learning with one model can’t be applied in another
  • number lines and place value operations are hard
  • can’t do multistep operations like long division
  • fractions and decimals are confusing
  • no proportional thinking
  • word problems are confusing, sometimes lacks in math vocabulary
  • forgets hand-in dates for homework
  • more frustration and anxiety, avoiding math, believes s/he can’t do it, so why try?