Dealing With Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a big word, a mouth full, really. Most people are aware of it and aware that it has to do with problems doing math. But this syndrome encases so much more than simple math inefficiencies. Dyslexia is so common that everybody knows what it is, and reading and writing problems seem to get all of the attention. But what about math problems? Is it just math anxiety, or is there a real underlying problem?
So, what is dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is a term which means “specific learning disability in mathematics”. Following is a list of symptoms of dyscalculia:
· Poor mental math abilities
· Inconsistencies with basic computation of addition, multiplication, division, and subtraction
· Difficulty understanding money and credit concepts
· Fails to understand how small steps add up
· May use number additions, substitutions, transpositions, and reversals (this is similar to the dyslexia that we are all familiar with except it is with numbers)
· Almost always unaware of mistakes
· May do well on book work but fails math tests
· May do well with reading, writing and other subjects but cannot seem to understand mathematical concepts
By now you may have a general idea that you or your child might be suffering from dyscalculia. It is often more frustrating than any other learning disability, because usually these kids do so well in other subjects. “Just try harder,” parents lament. Or, parents will bring out the trusty old flash cards and force the child to go over them time and again. By the next day it is new information to the child, and the frustration goes on. Parents are convinced that the child is just being lazy and trying to not do math, when nothing could be further from the truth.
After the immense pressure of performing well in math and trying hard, these kids really do develop a math anxiety on top of dyscalculia. They do have processing disorders and are being made to perform with intense pressure to do well. This math is like a foreign language to them, and we are asking them to speak it fluently in front of a large group of people.
Generally, once dyscalculia is diagnosed, the student is given modifications to help. Modifications are great. The best modification for dyscalculia is to arrange to have the student re-take a math test that was failed. This sure takes the pressure off. There are other modifications that can help, but it is most beneficial to get to the root of the problem. The left and right side of the brain must be considered. The processing must be dealt with. The anxiety must be calmed. Then, and only then, will the student succeed.
First, the left and right sides of the brain must become balanced. It is common knowledge that the left hemisphere of the brain is where we process math and logic. Most kids with dyscalculia are right hemisphere dominant. They are simply not using the left sides of their brains. They need taught how to do this. There are many brain building exercises available that will do this. The brain needs to be balanced for efficient use. The student needs to be able to access the left side of his brain as easily as the right, and then math can be learned. The brain must be taught how to access the left side of the brain. In addition, it is always best to have these kids use colored pencils and blank sheets of paper when doing math. Color is what keeps the right side of the brain focused. These right brain dominant kids see colors and pictures. As they work on their math, the color keeps them focused. The blank paper keeps them from getting distracted.
Most kids start doing better in math after a few weeks of brain balancing exercises. The magic eights activity with numbers is truly magic for these kids. It is also a good idea to have them count by 2’s, 3’s, 4’s, etc. This orders their world and helps their brains work in a more systematic way. Have them write their 2’s one day, 3’s the next, and so forth. Cross crawls, martial arts, baseball, and golf are all good brain building exercises, too. These alone won’t cure dyscalculia, but they all will help.
Next, let’s deal with processing disorders. These kids just can’t keep three or four images in their minds. And we ask them to do long division. Boy, division is long for these kids. While the ace math student is on number 24, these kids are still on number 1. Their pages are a mess after all of their erasing, and they just can’t remember what 5x6 is. By the time they figure out what the answer to 5x6 is, they forgot where they were on their page and which step they were on. Was it the multiply part or subtract? And it goes on. Of course they don’t get the right answers and they come home with 40 math problems to do. (OK, here is a modification that is good, too. Have the student’s problems shortened until success is met.) Throw in fractions, and these kids are convinced they can’t do math and that they are dumb.
The problem really isn’t the math. The problem is that they are weak in visual memory and they have a difficult time processing more than one step at a time. So, work on visual memory skills first with these kids. The weak visual memory is why they can’t remember their math facts. I have yet to meet a kid with dyscalculia who knew all of his math facts. The best way to do this is to hold up a card with a few numbers and shapes on it. Here is an example:

2 7
Hold this card up to the child for about 5 seconds and take it away. The child then copies the shapes and numbers from memory. As the child gets better at this, add more shapes and numbers. A few minutes of this every day helps. Eventually, you can move on to a math fact done in the same manner. Did you notice the use of color again? Black and white does very little for these kids. We want to meet them half way and give them some tools for success. Color is one of these tools. Don’t use purchased flash cards for these kids. You may have noticed by now that they don’t work. Give them a math fact in color and use it in the above mentioned manner. Do about 2 or 3 a day. Don’t overload them. Have them recall the facts from yesterday before moving on. If they are still having trouble, they need pictures and stories to help them remember. If this doesn’t work, then they need a tactile method. Have them write their facts in shaving cream. Soon, all of the facts are learned, and math becomes much easier.
Next, you need to make sure these kids are able to do more than a couple of steps at a time. Practice with commands such as walk, jump, skip. Keep adding on to the list of commands. Do this on paper. Say two numbers. The student is to write them. Add another number. The student must write it and the previous numbers. Play with pattern blocks. You and the student both have a matching set. Make a shape with yours, show it to the student and then cover your set. The student must remember the order the shapes were in a place his in the matching order. Give the student a number. Have him add another number to it. Then have him remember that number and multiply a number with that new number, and so on. You see, these are games that build on processing.
Card games are wonderful. Board games help, too. Let your kid be the banker, even if he messes it up. It’s only a game. Help him give change back. I have noticed that kids who play a lot of board games with their families do better in math than those that don’t. Kids who play a lot of video games seem to do worse. Do you see the connection? I use the game Blink a lot with my students with dyscalculia. They must be thinking of many things at one time, just like you need to with long division. Kids love games and will play them longer.
Finally, the math anxiety must be dealt with. This is the most difficult part of dyscalculia for many people. After all is said and done and the student is performing better, he still keeps the anxiety. Every test can cause his palms to sweat and his heart to beat fast. He is basically in fight or flight, and we know that we can’t learn and think in this mode. We simply react. With the new math standards going to more and more reasoning and problem solving instead of computation, this is not the best method for a struggling math student.
Take the pressure of the kid to start with. If he fails a math test, so what? See if the teacher will let him take it over. Practice the night before the test to assure confidence. Don’t berate the child for doing poorly. Don’t punish because of his grades. He really is doing the best he can. If the student is in high school and needs credits, you will have to be very actively involved in the student’s life. Teachers must be aware of the problem and be willing to help. Go over daily work with the student. Have practice tests with the students. Pretend that it is test day at school. You may even have to have the student tested in a separate room so they are not watching what other kids are doing. My daughter has math anxiety. We found out last year that if she went to the back of the room to a separate table that she did much better. She was judging herself against the other kids who were whipping through the test and she had herself convinced that she would fail because they were smarter than her. The mind is truly amazing, isn’t it?
These are just some basic tips to help you with a child with dyscalculia. There are so many more things to do to help these children. Just be sure that they do get help. It is lonely and scary to be in a math world that you just don’t understand.


Building a Future: Bachelor of Science in Construction Management
As the single-largest industry in the U.S., there’s no doubt that construction plays a pivotal role in the nation's economy. After all, without heavy equipment, construction equipment operators, and building inspectors, we wouldn't have any skyscrapers, freeways, apartment buildings, or bridges. So, when it comes to getting in on some of the hottest careers around, this industry will always provide more than its share of employment opportunities. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts that employment opportunities for construction managers will exceed the number of qualified candidates from now through 2014.
That said – a construction management degree may be the best way to break into this lucrative field.
Construction Management Degrees: Paving the Way to Success
Many colleges, universities and technical schools are now offering a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. This type of construction management degree is designed to provide a foundation in construction management, techniques, and legal issues relating to the field. Areas of study can include building codes, site construction and measurement, project management, construction safety management, and more. Instruction on mechanical systems and materials are also typically included in these programs.
Here is a closer look at some of the jobs you can land with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management:
Building Inspectors. In this position, your priority will be keeping buildings safe and up to code. You’ll double-check repairs, alterations, and construction of buildings and other structures to make sure they are in compliance with local, state, and federal ordinances and zoning laws.
Construction Manager. If you enjoy planning and coordinating, this is the job for you. From construction superintendent – to project engineer – to general construction manager – you’ll be the glue that holds an entire project together. You may plan and direct a single project, or manage pieces of a larger project. Basically, you’ll oversee construction supervisors and workers.
Heavy Equipment Operators. Construction equipment operators use machinery to move heavy materials such as earth and construction equipment. Typical responsibilities include operating equipment such as bulldozers, as well as using road graders and tamping equipment to build roads and other large structures. With relatively high hourly pay and a good job outlook, this could be a great career option if you’re interested in earning a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management.
Show Me the Money
So you may be wondering, “How much do these jobs actually pay?” Well, that depends on a lot of factors. Pay for these positions will vary based on the size and nature of the construction project, its geographic location, and economic conditions. But according to the BLS, median annual earnings of construction managers as of May 2004 were $69,870. The middle 50 percent earned between $53,430 and $92,350. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $42,120. And according to a July 2005 salary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, candidates with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management received job offers averaging $42,923 a year – right out of school.
Some of the courses you can expect to take while getting your construction management degree include:
• Project Management
• Statics and Strength of Materials
• Building Codes
• Project Scheduling
• Cost Estimating and Analysis
• Legal Issues in Construction
If this sounds good to you, it’s time to start finding a place to get your degree. If you’d like to get a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management but just don’t have the time or freedom for traditional classes, keep in mind that many schools now let you get your entire construction management degree online. If this is the way you want to go, be sure and check out the programs at each of the colleges you’re interested in.


How To Type Faster
I haven't been practicing lately so I only top out at about 95wpm (words per minute), but with continued training it is fully possible to kick your typing speed up to 160wpm or even higher. Why am I mentioning these speeds? Because the average person's handwriting speed is somewhere around 25-35wpm where the words are short and speed is at the maximum. I only write 20wpm by pencil so when I'm typing, the advantage is pretty obvious.
Here is how you can learn to type faster:
[1] Learn the Layout
The primary reason why it takes a long time to punch the right key is that you have to find the right button. Memorize the positions of the keys. Be able to close your eyes and visualize every letter, number, and symbol on the keyboard. If you can do that, then when you are typing, you are not searching for the keys but instead pushing them.
[2] Put your hands in the 'Home' position
Notice how the 'F' and 'J' buttons on your keyboard have a special groove on them. Put the index(pointing) finger of your left hand on the 'F' and the three fingers left of the index finger on 'D', 'S', and 'A'. Now put your right hand's index finger on the 'J', and the other three fingers to the right of it on 'K', 'L', and ';'. Rest both of your thumbs on the 'spacebar'. Feel the grooves of the 'F' and 'J' buttons under your index fingers. Your hands are now in the home position. This is the centered position which puts your fingers equally distant to all the keys so that you can type better.
The keyboard was designed to be used this way. The grooves on 'F' and 'J' are there so that you can find the home position without looking at the keyboard. Try it now. Tilt your head upward so that you see the monitor but not the keyboard at all. Now take your hands off of the keyboard. Feel the keyboard with your fingers until you get your index fingers back on the grooves and your other fingers are on the keys described just previously. Practice this several times. You are only tilting your head up temporarily to prevent you from cheating and looking at the keyboard. When you look at the keyboard, you are cheating yourself and losing your own time because you are relying on your eyes finding the key (slow) rather than using your memory to know where the key is (fast).
[3] Practice
Now that you know where to start your hands from and where all of the keys are by memory, you can type without looking at the keyboard. When you get better at typing, and have reaffirmed the positions of the keys into your fingers, you do not even need to look at the monitor to see if you typed the right thing. This frees up your eyes to look at the sheet of paper you are transcribing, to a book you want an excerpt out of, or even the ability to talk to someone while looking at them and taking notes at the same time. The possibilities are endless. However, you cannot expect speed just from thought alone. Your fingers are not yet used to moving in these ways and need practice.
When you are first learning, say the letters of the word you are typing one at a time and concentrate on where you should move which finger to get to it. You should not need to look at the keyboard to do this. If you find it hard to remember the layout of your keyboard, there's a link at the end of this article to a site where you can get a ready-made keyboard layout. Just print it out and follow the included instructions to make it stand upright. This isn't a permanent solution though. It's just for when you're learning it.
Eventually you will want to go entirely by memory. I can recommend two ways to improve your memory of the keys. The first is the way I did it, and that's through TONS of practice. It's not that hard, but it takes some time. The other way, you might be able to accelerate your learning curve by improving your memory first. I've written a book on exactly that topic, memory improvement, and even if it doesn't teach you how to type, it will improve your memory, which eventually will help you with everything in your life, and not just typing. Just look around and you'll see that memory is fundamental to everything you do. For more information about the eBook, see the bottom of this article.
If you choose to wing it for now, what you want to do is to make an effort to store in your mind the positions of the buttons relative to your fingers and their home positions. The intention of remembering often helps, though you will have better results if you improve your memory and practice associating keys to finger positions.
Practice repetetive combinations of certain letters so that you get those committed firmly into memory. A good direction of learning the keys is to go bit by bit. First learn the home keys with your left hand only. When you get good with those four keys, learn exclusively the four keys of your right hand when in home position. Then practice combinations of those 8 keys. Then learn the keys immediately above your left index finger. Then your right index finger. Don't try to overload yourself. This is a new hand-eye coordination exercise that you have never done before, and you are literally causing your brain to wire itself to be able to do this more naturally. You will most likely feel mentally strained, so I would not recommend learning more than 4 new letters at a time. Be patient, you will make many mistakes at first, but as you practice more, your mistakes will decrease and your speed will go up.
Notice your accomplishments and keep going.
[4] How to Measure your Speed
There are two ways to do this, but they're both roughly the same strategy. You can make up a story on the go and type it down, but if you get stuck in creating your story, then your speed will go down. The other way is to get out a book, article, letter, or anything else already written down in front of you and opened. Grab a stopwatch. Open up Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer. Both are word-processing programs and both have word count. You can use any other word processing program, but then you'll need to count the words by hand. Start the stopwatch. Type a length of words. The better and faster you are, the more words you should write. When you finish typing, immediately stop the stopwatch. With your mouse, select on your screen the text you just typed. If you are using Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer, click on the 'Tools' menu, and pick 'Word Count'. Take the number of words you just typed and divide it by the number of seconds it took you to type it. Now multiply this number by 60 to get the number into words per minute. The resulting number is your speed in words per minute.
[5] Helpful Resources
1. For a free copy of the OpenOffice.org Productivity Suite (which includes Writer), visit www.OpenOffice.org
2. For memory improvement, visit www.ExplodeYourMemory.com
3. For a printable keyboard layout, visit the downloads area of www.RarelyPublished.com