Teaching Strategies for Dyscalculic Learners
This article was first published for paid subscribers in April 2026, on the Discovering Dyscalculia Substack. It is now available for free to all subscribers and gives a window into some of the content and material inside my special series, Guide to Math Education for Dyscalculia.
You may have heard there is a lot of mystery around how to teach students with a math learning disability.
But I’ve found that when you really understand dyscalculia and how it impacts learning, the specific math struggles are a lot less mysterious and it becomes clearer what is needed for effective instruction.
In this series of articles on Teaching Strategies for Dyscalculia, I dig into the specific teaching strategies that are successful for dyscalculic students, and discuss how they compare to traditional math instruction in school.
For those who prefer listening to audio over reading, I’ve included a recording of me reading this article.
Teaching Strategies for Dyscalculia
The teaching strategies that are most successful for dyscalculia do a couple of things.
One they grasp a real understanding of dyscalculia. They involve an active curiosity and openness to the different way in which dyscalculic’s experience numbers and quantity. It means taking the time to see numbers through a dyscalculic individual’s eyes.
Two, the strategies must modify math instruction to address the student’s unique needs, and meet them where they are in their mathematical understanding.
We basically need to understand the need, and teach in a way that addresses those needs.
In this section, I will walk you through the main teaching strategies that are effective for dyscalculia. I’ll include examples so it’s practical and not merely theoretical.
Whether you are a parent or a teacher, it’s critical to know what teaching strategies are needed, so that you can have a good idea of what needs to be included in any curriculum or math program you are considering for your dyscalculic student.
This way you can make confident choices on your student’s education, instead of feeling like you are wildly trying anything and everything, hoping and praying something will stick.
Now, I’m not advocating for a one-size fits all approach to dyscalculia math education. But there are noticeable struggles that are similar across the board in every dyscalculic student I’ve met. You may be surprised at the predictable numeracy struggles dyscalculic learners have in common.
These effective teaching strategies can be applied to classroom use, one-to-one tutoring, or home education.
Where is the Dyscalculia Curriculum?
People often ask about what teaching program or curriculum to use for dyscalculia. “Where is the Orton Gillingham for dyscalculia?”
For those who aren’t familiar, Orton Gillingham is a well-known methodology for teaching dyslexics, or language-based learning disabilities. Several reading, writing, and language curriculums have evolved, centered on this OG approach.
Sadly, dyscalculia doesn’t yet have a well-known methodology or tested curriculum to follow, because this field of study is still so new and under-researched. Research and awareness for dyscalculia is about 30 years behind that of dyslexia.
And yet, just because we don’t have a well-known methodology or researched curriculum for dyscalculia, does not mean we are left with nothing. There is enough knowledge available in a couple of areas to help us get started.
Guiding Research and Real-Life Experience
The first area we can lean into is the research we do have on dyscalculia. Yes, it’s limited, but what we do know can inform us on what dyscalculics do and don’t understand about numbers, and the gaps they face in their math learning development.
Secondly. We can learn from the classroom and tutoring experiences of many dyscalculia educators and specialists.
We can learn from those doing the daily work of supporting dyscalculic students and having success in helping them develop a sense for number. Many of these specialists have written excellent books and lead workshops sharing effective strategies.
The strategies I will share with you are grounded in these two areas – both the research we do have on dyscalculia, and the real-life success experiences of dyscalculia specialists.
In the area of university research, I’ve been most influenced by the work of Brian Butterworth, Emeritus Professor of cognitive neuropsychology at the University College London, along with his work compiling other researchers around the world exploring dyscalculia. His books, Dyscalculia Guidance, (co-authored with the late dyscalculia specialist Dorian Yeo), and his more recent book, Dyscalculia: From Science to Education, provide a wealth of information on what we know so far on dyscalculia and its impact on numeracy education.
In the area of real-life experience of dyscalculia educators, I have been most influenced by the work of:
Jane Emerson and Dorian Yeo, authors and co-founders of the Emerson House
Ronit Bird, educator and author of several books on teaching for dyscalculia
Eva Grauberg, educator and author on early math intervention and development
Cat Eadle and Rob Jennings, educators and co-founders of the Dyscalculia Network
Steve Chinn, author of several books on math for dyslexia and dyscalculia.
To add to the first-hand experience of those working in the field, I will share from my own experience. In addition to much reading and personal study, my growing understanding of dyscalculia is also formed by observing and working closely with dyscalculic individuals myself.
The first, of course, being my daughter. We spent three years doing math together at home, following the teaching methods by those same UK dyscalculia experts. It was the most eye-opening experience into her unique dyscalculic mind. I learned so much sitting with her each day to explore numbers and quantity together.
Being a mother of a dyscalculic student continues to provide me a front row seat to observe my daughter’s experience as a dyscalculic individual. I am constantly observing her learning experiences, and how she thinks about quantity and numbers in everyday life.
I also get to observe long-term, what strategies have made the most positive impact and are ones she still utilizes today, and which ones have waned in helpfulness over the years.
This is something most tutors and teachers don’t get to experience when they only work with students for a season.
Another informative experience with teaching for dyscalculia is my work with a student I teach in-person a few times a week, and have been working with for 2.5 years. Much of this student’s experience mirrors that of my daughter’s. Except now I’m more prepared for this one-to-one work, second time around.
My firsthand experience also includes leading parents in ongoing small groups and 1:1 coaching, as they work with their own dyscalculic students. Each time we meet they report back on what went well, what was a struggle, and then we adapt the next lessons accordingly. I get to observe how their student is developing number-sense through their own work at home.
Finally, I’m learning from dyscalculia specialists around the world, and hearing similar stories of positive experiences with these same teaching strategies for dyscalculia.
I have the pleasure of continuing to learn from and personally collaborate with U.S. dyscalculia specialists such as:
Dr. Schreuder at Dyscalculia Services
Becky Lord at Lord Math
Paula Bishop-Liebler of the Emerson House Charlottesville
The team at Made for Math
Compiling a List of Teaching Strategies
I’m hopeful that soon, research will be conducted on these strategies so we can document their effectiveness for dyscalculia. But until then, we still have so much to learn from what we do know and what we have experienced in supporting dyscalculic students already.
With that bit of background, there are six important teaching strategies I want to look at more closely with you.
These all work together. They are not individual options to try on their own. A successful approach to math education for dyscalculia would be to incorporate these together into your work.
They are:
1. Begin by Teaching the Foundations of Numeracy
2. Focus on Teaching for Understanding
3. Reduce Memory Work
4. Utilize Multi-Sensory Tools
5. Pay Attention to Language-Based Difficulties
6. Employ Empathy and Awareness
In other articles in this series, I’ll explore these six teaching strategies with you, explain what each means, and share examples of how to implement them successfully.
You’ve been reading an article from my Guide to Math Education for Dyscalculia, a special educational series in my Substack.
New to Discovering Dyscalculia? I’m Laura M. Jackson, parent, author, and dyscalculia specialist supporting families, educators, students, and adults in their journey with dyscalculia. I write and speak for dyscalculia awareness, education, and support on Substack and on DiscoveringDyscalculia.com.
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