Raising Peer Awarness About Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability which affects the ability to acquire mathematical knowledge and skills. It affects success in mathematics as well as other areas of a person’s everyday life. Special conditions need to be met for a student with dyscalculia to feel good inside a classroom and to confidently use the tools and benefits of adjustments. Both the teacher and the classmates have to understand the nature of the problem and the strong areas the student with dyscalculia has. They have to be aware that such students can prove his level of knowledge only by using adjustments, which are essential for them. Students who are part of classes where their peers accept and understand their specific learning disabilities are much more successful than those who are in classes with no real understanding or accepting special needs. Thus I believe that one of the main tasks of a special education teachers is to help teachers and other professionals raise awareness in peers and their parents about specific learning disabilities present in class or school. Classmates can be excellent assistants in the field of teaching (our school has a tutoring programme, which connects student tutors with special needs students) as well as in the area of social inclusion.