Challenges Facing High School Students with Dyscalculia

In this episode of the What in the World is Dyscalculia? Podcast host Dr. Honora Wall and guest Katie Walker, founder of Dyscalculia Tutoring, delve into the unique challenges faced by high school students with dyscalculia. As these students navigate the complexities of upper-level math, they often encounter roadblocks that hinder their success. Watch their conversation below and this blog post explores the most common challenges and offers insights into how educators and parents can better support these students.

The Calculator Conundrum

One of the primary issues dyscalculic students face in high school is the misuse and misunderstanding of calculators. Despite being a vital tool for students with dyscalculia, many teachers resist allowing calculators during assessments. Even when students are permitted to use calculators, they often have no idea how to effectively navigate them due to years of being discouraged from touching one.

Educators need to approach calculator use as an essential skill to be taught. Without proper guidance, students may rely on calculators without genuinely understanding the mathematical processes behind their answers. This leads to further confusion, as students lack the number sense to gauge whether their calculator results are correct.

Lack of Foundational Skills Support

High school teachers often find themselves unprepared to address the foundational gaps that dyscalculic students bring with them from elementary school. Teachers in upper-level math classes are typically trained to focus on advanced topics like algebra and geometry, leaving them ill-equipped to support students who lack basic numeracy skills such as fractions or multiplication.

Many educators attempt to remedy this by reinforcing rote memorization techniques like the “butterfly method” for fractions or “keep-change-flip.” However, as Katie Walker pointed out, these quick fixes do not address the root of the problem, leaving students further behind. Dyscalculic students require more comprehensive support to build foundational math skills, but the current system often fails to provide this.

Cumulative Educational Trauma

By the time students with dyscalculia reach high school, many have already endured years of feeling like failures in math. This ongoing cycle of frustration often results in learned helplessness, where students disengage from math entirely because they expect to fail. For these students, math anxiety has become deeply ingrained.

As Dr. Wall emphasized, addressing the emotional trauma of math failure is just as important as addressing the academic gaps. Teachers can help break this cycle by adopting trauma-informed teaching approaches, offering positive reinforcement, and creating a classroom environment where students feel safe to make mistakes. Rebuilding confidence is key to re-engaging these students with math.

Economic and Systemic Barriers

Beyond the classroom, dyscalculic students face significant economic and systemic barriers. Many students drop out of school due to their struggles with math, leading to lower lifetime earnings and fewer career opportunities. Others opt for homeschooling, which can significantly strain families financially.

The economic consequences extend beyond individual students. Communities suffer when students leave the educational system early, resulting in lower tax contributions and reduced financial literacy. Schools lose funding when enrollment drops and students who don’t complete high school or pursue higher education are often left underemployed and unable to reach their full potential.

Gatekeeping in Higher Education and Beyond

For dyscalculic students who make it through high school, the next barrier is often standardized testing. Whether it’s the SAT, ACT, or college placement exams, these gatekeeping mechanisms can prevent students from entering programs they can excel in. For instance, students who show proficiency in practical, hands-on settings may still be denied access to specific fields of study due to poor test performance.

This problem extends to trade schools and other non-college career paths. Even students interested in trades, where math is applied more practically, face systemic barriers. As Katie noted, dyscalculic students often lack the confidence to pursue these paths because of their math-related challenges throughout their education. Reforming these gatekeeping practices and offering better accommodations can help open doors for these students in college or the trades.

Conclusion 

High school students with dyscalculia face significant challenges, from ineffective calculator use to cumulative trauma and systemic barriers. As educators and parents, it is crucial to recognize these obstacles and provide the necessary support to help these students succeed. By rethinking how we approach teaching and accommodating dyscalculic learners, we can open doors for them to thrive both in school and beyond.

For more resources and support, check out Dyscalculia Tutoring’s offerings at Dyscalculiatutoring.com, and learn more about our new partnership with EduCalc Learning at dyscalculiatutoring.com/educalc-learning-partnership.