Dyscalculia is a disability resulting in difficulty learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, performing mathematical calculations and learning facts in mathematics.
It is so important to be able to identify disabilities like dyscalculia and dyslexia early, to allow children to reach their true potential. I faced difficulties with dyscalculia, which was not identified by teaching staff, until it was brought it to their attention by family members. Based on my experience, if there is any research or support, it is very limited, and many teachers are not aware of it.
In school, it was noted that I made excellent progress across the curriculum, with the exception of maths. This caused many years of low self-esteem, anxiety towards maths in general and a lot of embarrassment. Despite academic success, my lack of maths qualification is holding me back from what I want to do. If I had been diagnosed quicker and understood better during my education, I could have been supported more effectively. I feel like I would be much more of a confident individual.
I don’t want another young person to go through the experiences I’ve had to deal with. I want teachers to be taught about these kinds of disabilities, so they can sympathise and find ways of offering better help for those that need it.
Dyscalculia is still in its early stages of research and like many others, I didn’t know Dyscalculia was a disability until I was diagnosed with it. There is so little understanding of this condition, and its impact. If the Scottish Government, in some way, could incentivise more research on Dyscalculia as a learning disability, and ensure that there was more awareness about it, it would stop so many children feeling distressed / anxious about school.