Would it surprise you to know that dyscalculia impacts students in history and social studies classes?

A student recently brought a history worksheet they wanted help on to our math session. It was on timelines, and involved knowing quantity-related terms (decade, century, millennium), and required calculating the length of time between dates. It was a dyscalculic nightmare.

When you understand dyscalculia is a struggle with quantity and number, then you begin to see the possible difficulties in history class.

Dyscalculic students become lost in a confusion of numbers, dates, measurements, sequencing, and can become more anxious when required to memorize what they don't even understand. 

Here are a few tips for supporting dyscalculic students in history class:

• Notice stress over assignments. Consider if the work is possibly related to numbers, quantity, time, measurement, or calculations. When you are not dyscalculic, it's hard to notice how frequently we interact with numbers and quantities in many subjects. Students themselves rarely connect their history class struggles to dyscalculia.

• Consider altering homework and exams for dyscalculic students. Modify homework and exam questions so they aren't based on numbers and quantity, but instead focus on the concepts and ideas. For example: Instead of asking "What year did this event take place?" ask "Why is it significant that this event took place after ____ (another event)." 

• Don't lower grades due to number-related questions. Another option is to not lower a dyscalculic student's score for answers that are incorrect due to a number or quantity-related questions. This is a similar to the dyslexia-accommodation of not penalizing dyslexic students for incorrect spelling on an in-class essay, but instead grading for content and understanding of subject matter.

• Avoid calling on dyscalculic students in the classroom with questions about numbers, quantity, time, measurement, or calculations. Students are anxious and self-conscience about their inabilities in this area, and they will learn more successfully if they know they will not be called on and embarrassed front of their peers for their numeracy struggles.

Greater awareness for dyscalculia plus a few simple modifications, can keep dyscalculia students engaged and interested in history class.