#actually dyscalculic

[incognitopolls]

Note: options for people with dyslexia are included because anon is curious if dyslexics have the same issue.

–

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[matchakuracat]

[boyfeelxo]

doing math feels like once you learn something and you do it well they suddenly add a new rule which makes everything you just learned basically uselees

[zebulontheplanet]

I have several learning disabilities. My official diagnosis is literally just “learning disability” not even kidding.

I have dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Each of which have impacted my life severely. On top of all of these, I also have ID, which affects my ability to learn. Overall, my brains a mess.

I wasn’t able to read chapter books until 8th grade, and even though I can now, they’re very overwhelming for me and I read pretty slow. My handwriting is also very terrible, like it’s barley readable to most. My dyscalculia is what I feel like impacts me one of the most. I can do very basic things with a calculator, like multiplication. Algebra is a hard no, and I can read an Analog Clock but they can’t be fancy and it takes me awhile to figure out.

Learning disabilities are a big struggle of mine, and it’s very demeaning and frustrating to have them.

Please be kind to your people with learning disabilities, we’re trying our best. I have so much more to say, and I’ll make some more posts on my experience with learning disabilities later.

[lesbian-disaster-academic]

Okay, I have a question for all the neurodivergents out there. A few mins ago, I was interacting publicly (reblogs, comments, etc.) with someone on another one of my sideblogs. And it occurred to me that, even though it's somewhat to a lesser degree, I'm still masking while on Tumblr dot com (a.k.a., Neurodivergent Central).

[topazadine]

A Primer on Dyscalculia: The Learning Disorder You Weren't Told About in School

I rarely see people discussing this learning disability, to the point that many believe it doesn't exist (ie, saying math is the universal language and everyone understands it but just doesn't try) so I thought I'd explain a bit about what it is.

Dyscalculia is a learning disability characterized by difficulty with math, numbers, and some systematic learning that requires the use of memorization and application. Like its relative, dyslexia, it is not that someone is "stupid" or "not trying hard enough" to learn math; our brains are essentially wired not to absorb information in this form.

Common symptoms of dyscalculia include:

Inability to do basic math problems

Struggling to count, often using their fingers to count

Difficulty using multiplication and division

Challenges with visualizing heights, lengths, and widths

Difficulty counting change

Struggling to read a clock or divide time into reasonable measurements

Challenges with memorizing numbers, dates, and sequences

No one is actually sure how many people have dyscalculia because it is rarely diagnosed. Right now, estimates are around 3% to 7% of the population, but this is likely a vast underrepresentation.

Educators still believe the myth that everyone can do math and that those who say they can't are just refusing to apply themselves. This causes lifelong problems for dyscalculiacs because if not treated early enough, it is nigh-on untreatable.

Many people with dyscalculia may complete math problems in unusual and time consuming ways. For example, if you asked me to divide 145 by 5 without a calculator, this is how my brain would have to do it:

100 by 5 (20)

20 by 5 (4), then multiply this by 2 (8), then divide 5 by 5 (1)

And finally, add up all the results (20+8+1) to get 29.

Numbers that are not easily divisible or "chunked" like this would be nigh-on impossible for me to do in my head. I wasn't able to memorize the times tables and in fact needed a laminated times table well into elementary school (think 5th grade).

I distinctly remember feeling like everyone else was on the helm of the USS Enterprise when they could so easily shout out answers to simple multiplication or division problems, and I was always the last person to do those stupid times table sheets. Sometimes I couldn't even complete half of it by the time everyone else was done.

I failed 3rd grade math class and had to be assigned a tutor. This was despite getting all As in every single other class. In fact, I failed multiple math classes during my academic career.

Since my grades were so high in other classes, I had to petition to be put in a remedial math class. Everyone assumed that because I did well in things like English, science, civics, and so on, I must have been able to do what my peers could.

A college-level physics class was the hardest class I have ever done in my life, and I have a Master's degree in International Relations, which requires a lot of very dry and complicated political theory. That is the A I am most proud of because it required far more effort than anything before or since.

No one told me what dyscalculia was or identified a problem throughout my entire time in education. I had to seek out resources myself in adulthood before finally learning what my problem was. This, of course, led to significant "math fear" and self-esteem issues, especially in a society that is obsessed with STEM.

This learning disability can have far-reaching effects and impact things that other people may not even consider. There are many connections between systematized learning and math.

Dyscalculiacs may also have trouble with:

Learning languages

Playing musical instruments (because sheet music and tempos are a form of language + math, though it is possible to learn by ear)

Reading maps, including general world geography

Estimating distances

Navigating a new place because they can't make "mental maps"

Dancing (due to the sequencing)

Reading diagrams

Remembering step-by-step instructions without a cheat sheet

Completing complex tasks that have a lot of steps

Starting a project that necessitates doing things in a certain order, such as building something

Cooking or baking (because it requires measuring and matching measurements to specific ingredients)

Repeating sequences, like a phone number

Remembering numbered streets or highways (like I-480, 5th street, or etc)

Playing games that require counting or keeping score, like Yahtzee, card games, and so on

Completing spreadsheets with numbers

Of course, not every dyscalculiac will struggle with all of these things because there are different degrees of severity. Many also learn tactics to compensate. For example, I never learned sheet music but did well in choir because I memorized all the songs entirely by ear.

I have developed visualizations of common routes I travel and can navigate to them by remembering the landmarks I pass. If you tried to ask me specific step-by-step directions of anywhere, I couldn't tell you, but I can tell you that you'll pass a KFC on your right if you're going east (parallel to Lake Erie), and then you will turn left at the big shopping center.

There are plenty of adaptations that everyday people use which are lifelines to dyscalculiacs in ways that other people may never recognize. Formulas on spreadsheets, conversion websites, built-in calculators, and turn-by-turn navigation apps are all examples of accommodations that appeal to everyone but are especially important to dyscalculiacs.

So, the next time you scoff and say "everyone can do math, they're just being lazy" or "cooking is easy" or "anyone can learn a second language if they want to" or "using a calculator is cheating" and so on:

Recognize that you are ignoring a very real learning disability. These statements are ableist.

Such rhetoric is equally damaging as anti-dyslexic statements like "everyone can learn to read," "open dyslexic fonts are ugly," "audiobooks are cheating," "video lessons are lazy" and things of that ilk.

Ableism takes many forms, many of which people refuse to recognize. Difficulty with math is a widespread problem, and it often has nothing to do with trying hard enough or refusing to learn. I remember breaking down in tears trying to do my times table; I would spend hours trying to understand them.

These issues are NOT a lack of willpower or application. They have to do with real neurological deficits. Please be kind to those who can't do math, and stop assuming we're lazy.

[robertseanleonardthinker]

the dyscalculia and hyperlexia combination goes crazy honestly. learning disability? yeah, dis ability to read 😎😎😎😎😎 also i cannot do basic multiplication

[sneefsnorf]

THIS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH REMEMBER TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH DYSCALCULIA!!!

people with learning disabilities are so often overlooked by online advocacy communities, but especially dyscalculia as its one of the lesser known ones.

remember to include and celebrate the people that learn and process maths differently and with more difficulty than you.

and to my fellow dyscalculia havers (and others with learning disabilities), i love you!! we are amazing people. have a great disability pride month <3333

[rook-of-the-woods]

Uhm if anyone was wondering what dyscalculia is like..

[queerautism]

After much hard work my credit has gone from 'fair' to now 'Good' btw!! I'm proud of myself!!

I have dyscalculia so bad even the most basic math gives me trouble. It was difficult for me to figure out all my bills, utilities, taxes, disability benefits, etc but I tried really hard (getting some great help from Dave too) and now I have a system and everything is getting paid. I'm saving up a tiny bit, slowly. I'm trying to be responsible with money.

We're still poor af and it's fucking hard but it's slightly less stressful now. And I'm hoping a better credit rating will make it easier to move eventually.

[0th3rw0rldl1n3ss]

as an autistic with dyscalculia I really wish I could find a YouTube channel or something of an autistic person whose special interest is math explaining different types of math and how to apply it because I feel like that would genuinely be very helpful and interesting

[pansiesanddaisies]

How it feels to have both...

[nuthinh3re]

[zebulontheplanet]

can you talk more about your experience with dyscalculia? I've been learning more about learning disabilities but I guess I'm not sure I "understand" dyscalculia, or what it actually does to peoples ability to do math (or understand numbers?) thanks in advance :)

Hi! Yes. So dyscalculia is basically a term that means you have trouble understanding anything involving numbers.

So time, measurement, math, etc. I’ve also seen from research that it can also affect your sense of direction and processing direction, which I think is true for me because I SUCK with directions.

It’s all very complicated. For me, math is a huge struggle for me. Anything above a fourth grade math level is a no, and even with things like times tables, I need a calculator.

Analog clocks are hard for me also, and take a long time to figure out. M ilitary time is so hard for me aswell and I can never quite grasp it.

I hope this helps! If you have anymore questions then let me know!

[sexlapis]

//not fanfiction related

it’s really not understood how much having dyscalculia can limit you in life, especially as an adult.

most of the decent paying degrees & jobs require a good amount/a lot of math, so i’m out for that. when people even speak about going into high paying fields like mathematics, medicine, engineering, science etc it’s over for you before it even started. a lot of the time (but not most) people with dyscalculia can have an efficiency or interest in humanities or writing based subjects (eg literature, art, english, langauge, history, philosophy etc). i don’t think i even need to say it, but such degrees and industries are not known for paying well or even decently, and they are underfunded. it can be difficult to achieve jobs in these fields especially, more so than STEM fields. not to mention that at the moment, the job market is complete ass, and it will be even more so in the future (debatably because of the rise of AI), especially for humanities subjects. so that is out of the picture for me.

not to mention the shame and embarrassment socially due to having dyscalculia. being good a math is a huge signifier of intelligence, so having dyscalculia will put me at a disadvantage. yes, math is widely hated by people because they are bad at it, but dyscalculia isn’t just being bad at math. it’s a disability. one that isn’t widely researched (understandably).

my brain is not wired like everyone else’s. it is incapable of understanding not just math on its own, but concepts essential to understanding math (e.g, recognising patterns, placing things in order).

this isn’t just limited to math either, dyscalculia can hinder us when needing to do basic tasks. some common symptoms/signifiers are: difficulty remembering directions, numbers (phone numbers, pin codes), can struggle making change, budgeting, splitting bills (anything to do with finances basically), poor understanding is symbols/signs and sequencing events.

so chat am i like cooked

[joyfultearsandsweetmemories]

sunflower lanyards

Gang! I got a free sunflower lanyard from my teacher the other day because I started catching the bus and I have HIDDEn disabilities like ADHD,, autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dsycauliia(ignore the spelling) and sometimes my knees hurt (idk why)

I putted it on Hermes altar cus it makes sense

Thank you for my teacher