June 2021 Parenta Magazine

SEN: dyslexia and
dyscalculia
Dyslexia and dyscalculia are two separate learning difficulties that can cause children to have
problems with literacy and writing, or with numeracy, and are relatively common in children. It
is estimated that 10% of people have some degree of dyslexia. Although these are not the same
condition, they both come under the umbrella of neurodiverse conditions and there are similarities.
Some dyslexic people also have dyscalculia and vice versa.
There are a number of different types of
dyslexia such as:
• Phonological dyslexia (difficulty
breaking speech into individual
sounds)
• Surface dyslexia (takes longer to
process language)
• Visual dyslexia (the brain does not
receive the full picture of what is seen)
• Primary dyslexia (an inherited
condition)
• Secondary dyslexia (occurs as a result
of a brain problem in the womb)
• Acquired or trauma dyslexia (occurs as
a result of brain trauma or disease)
Some children present with delayed
speech and language and this would
need further help. If you suspect a child
may have dyslexia, it is important to tell
the parents and your SENCo so that testing
can be arranged. Extra help may then
be given and if this is insufficient, then it
may be possible to gain a more in-depth
assessment from a specialist dyslexia
teacher or an educational psychologist,
either through the setting/school or directly
through the British Psychological Society or
via a voluntary organisation, such as a local
branch of the British Dyslexia Association.
These tests may examine a child’s:
• Reading and writing abilities
• Language development and
vocabulary
• Logical reasoning
• Memory
• Visual and auditory processing speeds
• Organisational skills
• Approaches to learning
Although quite difficult to pick up in the
early years, the earlier that a diagnosis is
made, and help becomes available, the
more effective help is likely to be. Strategies
can be implemented so the child does not
miss out on learning which can include 1-1
teaching support and help with phonics,
as well as technology such as the use of
speech recognition software which can help
children record their thoughts and answers
instead of using traditional writing. Some
people use coloured overlays over typed
text which helps the words to stop ‘jumping
around’ on the page.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a condition that affects a
person’s ability to acquire arithmetical and
mathematical skills. People with dyscalculia
may have difficulty understanding simple
number concepts and lack an intuitive
grasp of numbers. They may struggle to
learn number bonds to 10 and 20 and the
mathematical things they are able to do are
often done mechanically and without much
confidence. In comparison to dyslexia,
dyscalculia is less prevalent, occurring
in 3% – 6% of the population. Dyslexia
is sometimes missed in schools, but
dyscalculia is often even more overlooked.
In the early years, a child with dyscalculia
may struggle to count and/or connect
a number to an object such as knowing
that the number “4” can be applied to the
number of wheels on a car, or the number
of legs a cat has, for example. They may
also struggle to recognise patterns or
shapes so they may not be able to
re-arrange blocks in order of size. In
Reception class, they may display difficulty
in recalling basic number bonds and
understanding the four basic maths
functions (addition, subtraction, division,
multiplication). Dyscalculia is not the same
as maths anxiety, however many children
with dyscalculia can develop maths anxiety
too.
How to help
In an early years setting, it can sometimes
be more difficult to recognise some of
the symptoms and signs of dyslexia and
dyscalculia because of the development
stage of the children, and the basic nature
of the maths and literacy taught at this
stage. However, settings can look out
for students who they feel may be falling
behind their peers in simple literacy or
number tasks, and alert parents to any
concerns as soon as possible. There is a list
of some simple signs to look out for on the
BDA website, and practitioners should also
be looking out for speech and language
difficulties that can be a precursor for
literacy problems later on. Looking out for
children who have difficulty in counting or in
recognising different values or patterns, is
also important.
What is vital though, is to remain patient
with children and focus on the progress
they are making with their effort rather than
simply their attainment. Praise children
for trying rather than just achieving an
outcome (e.g. count to 10), and you will
be developing a growth mindset in the
children, rather than reinforcing a negative
belief that they ‘just can’t do’ maths or
reading. The biggest strategy you have
at this age is to guard against imprinting
children with a fixed mindset about a
particular issue, which can lead to low selfesteem
and cause further anxiety.
For more information, see:
• https://www.geniuswithin.co.uk/whatis-neurodiversity
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a lifelong problem and
although there is no ‘cure’, there are
strategies that people can use to help
overcome some of the difficulties they face.
Having a diagnosis of dyslexia does not
mean people cannot succeed, although
many may not do as well as their peers at
school, due to some of the problems they
face with reading and writing. However,
there are many very successful people
who are dyslexic, such as Sir Richard
Branson, Tom Cruise, Jamie Oliver, and
Stephen Spielberg, and many people
with dyslexia have skills and abilities in
other areas such as creative thinking and
problem-solving.
Dyslexia often comes to light when
children first begin to learn literacy or
writing skills. They may confuse the
order of letters in words and put letters
the wrong way round such as writing
“b” instead of “d” or “p” instead of “q”.
However, many younger children also do
this when they are first learning letters or
mark-making, so identifying it can be tricky
in the early years. Problems with phonics
and spelling may come to light later, and
as with other special educational needs,
children with dyslexia may have problems
following a set of instructions or may seem
disorganised.
• https://www.dyslexia.uk.net/
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/
dyslexia/
• https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/
• https://www.dyslexia.uk.net/specificlearning-difficulties/dyscalculia/thesigns-of-dyscalculia/
• https://www.parliament.uk/
documents/post/postpn226.pdf
20 June 2021 | parenta.com
parenta.com | June 2021 21