Hey all,
I found this forum about a week or 2 ago and until that time I had never heard of dyscalculia. It seems to make a lot of sense though.
Math was always the one subject I did horribly in, although there were times (about 3 maybe) that I did very well. I always figured it was just the teacher or I was just lucky those times. I've been tutored in the past and it was absolutely awful. When I found this site I thought well, if I do have this then it would explain a lot.
I can't do math in my head, I had a hard time learning the multiplication table and I still don't know it entirely (like 6x9, 7x9...), don't understand fractions, couldn't tell time until way after we were taught how in school, still don't get certain concepts like "60% of 80", and stuff like that. I can't read sheet music. I have to really concentrate on it and write the letters down or else I get confused. I can't estimate sizes with numbers like inches or feet. I'd have to use my hands or describe it. I had the hardest time when we did measurements and I never understood it (still don't).
A lot of times when I'm trying to solve a problem I forget a number, mix up the signs, calculate it wrong even though I understand the concept, or I just get stuck entirely. I'm bad with money as well. Sometimes I can understand what is being taught depending on the teacher, but when it comes time to do it myself, I'm usually off and there are other times when I don't understand anything at all. Somtimes I could get the concept at the moment, but I forget it later on that day. And don't get me started on word problems...
I've never been tested for anything so I'm not sure if it's dyscalculia, dyslexia or if I'm just not doing the problems enough because there are things that I do get. I've found some ways to deal with it...hopefully I can get through calculus next year. I still wonder why that is a requirement.
But anyway, that was just wanted to say hey and that this site may have answered some of my questions. I'm usually a lurker, so I may not post much, but I will come on here sometimes and read about what's going on.
Location: Texas USA Posts: 6103 Joined: 2008-05-25
11/14/09
Hi user82,
Welcome. Well, I have to say that, for a lurker, having user82 as a name is a pretty good start. I mean, having mostly a number as your name on this forum will make you about as 'forgettable' as possible. But, come to think of it, having the name 'user' actually makes you unique here. I haven't met a single 'user' in the year and a half that I've been here!
Yes, you've got the part figured out about different LD's (Learning Disabilities) being able to cause the same 'effect', that of not getting math problems right,... sometimes it's dyscalculia and other times dyslexia, or even some other 'processing' difficulty that could be the problem. Have you been able to pass college algebra? Your writing is perfect. I can't detect if you are in High School or college. I'm guessing that you are in the U.S. due to the rhythm of your writing. So, we're glad that you're here, and we'll all try to be a little more 'entertaining' now that we know that you'll be 'lurking' and reading our posts. ;-)
- jus'
Edited by justfoundout on November 16 2009 05:33 AM
Heh, well, I couldn't think of a good username so I just randomly put one .
Yes, I'm from the US and I'm in college. This (precalculus) is actually the first math class I'm taking in college and it's no surprise I'm not doing that well. I've been avoiding math classes like crazy for the past 2 years. I did miserably in my math classes in high school and passed most of them only by a couple of points. So after I took all the required ones I stopped (and it felt great, let me tell you). I always figured I was just dumb in math so finding this site was a relief, whether or not I have dyscalculia.
Edited by user82 on November 16 2009 02:21 PM
hi there, user82! I was failing remedial college math <not even the math for college credit> for third time and that's when I found out, after getting tested-
Location: Texas USA Posts: 6103 Joined: 2008-05-25
11/16/09
Dear user82,
I 'see myself' in your description of how you've handled the 'math in school' problem. Ironically, the fact that I 'passed' the math classes in High School, with little indication to outsiders that there was a problem, made getting the diagnosis with Mathematics Disorder (this year) more difficult. If we spent enough hours and 'eye burning' sleeplessness getting our math homework done,... and if we invented ways of figuring out how to get enough problems right on the tests to pass,... then there are those who will refuse to believe that we were ever 'dyscalculic'. They'll say, "Oh, you just learned to do math in an immature way, and that is the reason that you are still counting on your fingers." Yes, this is what the Head of the Disability Office told me at a 4-year university,... and she wouldn't accept my MLD diagnosis.
In High School, I passed Algebra One, almost by a fluke. And then, I cleverly took Business Math and Geometry for the rest of my math credits. At that time, Algebra Two wasn't a requirement for graduation. I don't know what I would have done if it had been a requirement. I might have 'gotten caught' as being 'math dumb',... the last thing that I would have ever wanted to have happen to me. And later, I stayed away from college, in part, because I knew that my inability to do algebra would be revealed once and for all time. Sure enough, just like RottieWoman, I failed 'remedial' three times. It was Elementary Algebra where I became forever mired in the quicksand of 'concepts' that wouldn't play 'checkers' on the pages of my notebook. How could everyone else 'manipulate' those mammoth collections of numbers, letters, and symbols, which to me looked like a Chinese parade float, and come out smilingly with a simple answer?
If you can pass pre-calculus, user82, that's wonderful. Do everything that you can to pass it. But if you get tested and come out with MLD, just please be aware that this can give you 'extra time' to take your tests, 'a quiet test environment', and sometimes even the use of a 'formula sheet' when other students aren't allowed to have this. If you think that these things (and others!) would help you keep you GPA up, then I suggest you begin to look into getting tested. - jus'
Edited by justfoundout on November 16 2009 04:35 PM
jus, thanks for the suggestion. I am considering looking into getting tested. I'm just not sure if it is dyscalculia, or something else, or if it's just me because while a lot of it seems to make sense, I'm still thinking what if I'm looking into it too deeply. I'm not sure if it'd be worth it in the end. But it's definitely something I'm considering.
.