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THE DYSCALCULIA SYNDROME

MASTER OF SCIENCE - SPECIAL EDUCATION THESIS
by RENEE M. NEWMAN, M.S. SPECIAL EDUCATION
Location: http://www.dyscalculia.org/thesis.html
©1998 RENEE M. NEWMAN | DEARBORN, MICHIGAN USA
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The Dyscalculia Syndrome | ©1998 Renee M. Newman | Dyscalculia.org
CONTENTS
TABLES....iv
INTRODUCTION: DEFINING DYSCALCULIA SYNDROME....1
DYSCALCULIA SYNDROME....2
LETTER TO MY MATH TEACHER....7
GIFTED AND MATH LEARNING DISABLED: THE DYSCALCULIA SYNDROME....10
THE VOICES OF DYSCALCULIA....12
SOME FAMOUS GIFTED CHILDREN....32DYSCALCULIA SYNDROME: RELEVANT STATISTICS....33
RECOMMENDED TESTING TO DETERMINE GIFTEDNESS....37
EVALUATING FOR MATH LEARNING DISABILITIES....39
WHAT'S IN AN IQ?....50
THE WORLD OF AVERAGES....51
CHARACTERISTICS OF GIFTEDNESS....53
RED FLAGS: GIFTED AND AT RISK....58
FALLING BY THE WAY....64
DARE TO DISCIPLINE....68
THE DESIRABLE PERSON....69
THE TWISTING OF A GIFTED CHILD.....73
OPTIONS INGIFTED EDUCATION....75
PIONEERING GIFTED PROGRAMS....77
DEVELOPMENTALLY SPECIFIC ADVICE....79
RESPONDING TO ADVANCEMENT WITH ACCELLERATION....80
HOME SCHOOLING....81
LEADERSHIP TRAINING....83
PARTICIPATION IN THE REAL WORLD....84
BEST PRACTICES IN GIFTED EDUCATION....85

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The Dyscalculia Syndrome | ©1998 Renee M. Newman | Dyscalculia.org
STRATEGIES ADDRESSWEAKNESSES....88
UNDERSTANDING CONFOUNDING WEAKNESS IN MATH....89
THE PHYSIOLOGY OF MATHEMATICAL FUNCTIONING....92
GENETIC AND SOCIAL FACTORS....94
SCHOLASTIC FACTORS....97
DIAGNOSTIC, PRESCRIPTIVE, AND PREVENTATIVE TEACHING.....98
IDENTIFYING THE STUDENT'S COGNITIVE LEVEL....100
DETERMINING LEARNING STYLES....102
QUANTITATIVE LEARNERS....103
QUALITATIVE LEARNERS....103
TEACHING MATH AS A SECONDLANGUAGE....105
THE THREE COMPONENTS: LINGUISTIC, CONCEPTUAL, & SKILL....106
MULLEN'S STRATEGIES FOR MATH FACTS AND LONG DIVISION....107
SUMMARY OF BEST PRACTICES....110
DYSCALCULIA AND HIGHER EDUCATION....113
CONCLUSION....114
REFERENCES....118
iii.

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The Dyscalculia Syndrome | ©1998 Renee M. Newman | Dyscalculia.org

TABLES

1. DYSCALCULIA TESTING INSTRUMENTS....40
2.MATH DISABILITY CLASSIFICATIONS....42
3. SEVEN PREREQUISITE MATH SKILLS....89
4. SIX LEVELS OF LEARNING MASTERY....91
5. RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE FOR MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION....99
iv.

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INTRODUCTION: DEFINING DYSCALCULIA SYNDROME

Dyscalculia is a term meaning "specific learning disability inmathematics." People who suffer with
a poor memory for all things mathematical have many other symptoms and characteristics. Taken
as a whole, these coexisting conditions comprise what this author terms "the dyscalculia
syndrome."
Originating with the author's personal experiences with mathematics, a list of relevant
characteristics was published on the Internet in February 1997. Since then,some 4,895 people
from around the globe have responded via e-mail, phone, and post to corroborate, share similar
experiences, and get advice in coping with the disorder.
Respondents range from high school students to doctors and university administrators. Most are
looking for definitions, causes, and protocols for diagnosis and treatment. School administrators
seek procedural advice from a...