This is your Discovering Dyscalculia monthly newsletter with the latest in dyscalculia awareness, education, and support.

In this month’s issue:

• Recommendation for Teaching Resources
• Email Template for Parents + Template Poll
• Digital Tool for Fractions, Decimals, Percentages
• Latest Writing Pieces on Dyscalculia
• The Book’s 4th Anniversary

A Recommendation for Teaching Resources

This past year I joined Made for Math’s new CRA Club (stands for Concrete, Representational, Abstract). I needed help with the next steps of instruction for a dyscalculic student I am working with. We were ready to tackle Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages, however, my favorite dyscalculia authors and educators did not have the best teaching tools for these topics. 

So I joined The CRA Club and am so grateful I did! It’s been a wealth of information and support, both on dyscalculia, and also how other learning disabilities impact math understanding. What I appreciate about the club:

• A terrific Base Camp section to get a solid overview of how to teach for dyscalculia.
• Easily accessible sections for specific topics that include videos, worksheets, reference sheets, and more. 
• Twice monthly coaching calls where you can submit a question and they will walk it through with you live at the session, or you can watch the replays. I had a specific question and Heather spent 20 minutes walking me through options for instruction.

The CRA Club has more information than I have time to take in, and what I have received has been worth the membership cost! I highly recommend this resource for any tutor, teacher, or parent who is working with dyscalculic learners or students struggling in math. Learn more about the CRA Club here.

My Current Writing on Dyscalculia

Here are some of my latest written pieces on dyscalculia. Each article is written by me (not AI). Your paid subscription to this content enables me to do this ongoing dyscalculia work and help support my family financially.

How to Write an Email to Teachers about Your Child’s Learning Disability Every school year I dreaded writing an email to my daughter’s teachers informing them of her learning disability. In this post I share 3 tips for making it easier, plus an email template you can use.

Teaching Strategy: Focus on Understanding Instead of Procedures.Contrary to how most math is taught in school, dyscalculic learners need math instruction that helps them to understand math concepts before teaching how to calculate and solve. Read more in this article.

Begin with the Foundations of Math – it’s going back further than you think. This is the most important teaching strategy for supporting dyscalculic learners. Let’s talk about what the foundations are. 

Email Template for Parents

This past year I sent out a poll asking what types of resources you all would like. Many of you requested email templates for communicating with schools. I have written my first template for you, which is an initial email to send to all teachers at the beginning of the year, or when you have a new diagnosis. This template can easily be modified to include additional or alternative learning disabilities, or your middle or high school student can modify it to send to their teachers.Download Template in this Post

This downloadable PDF resource can be accessed in Substack as a paid subscriber.

Want more templates? Please fill out this poll to let me know what other templates would be helpful for you! 

What Email Templates Would Be Helpful to You?

To Employers

To Drivers Education Instructors

To History and Science Teachers

To Coaches

To School, Accommodation Request

Digital Tool for Fractions, Decimals, Percentages

I mentioned that I’ve joined Made for Math’s CRA Club to help me with teaching the concepts of fractions, decimals, and percentages for a dyscalculic student I work with. 

After creating a deeper understanding of these concepts, we are now learning how to use a digital tool to help my student make these same calculations in the faster-paced classroom and for everyday life.

This tool is the DysCalculator App. One feature that I love is that the DysCalculator can translate between fractions, decimals, and percentages easily in one button.

To figure out the decimal and percentage for one half: enter 1/2 using the fraction button, then [EQUALS]. The DysCalculator will give you the percentage and decimal that are equal to one half, including a helpful visual for the fraction. It can also be used the other way around, enter 50%, then = and it will tell you the fraction and decimal equivalent to 50%.

For those of you who are concerned students will not learn how to correctly compute these, I understand your concern. And I agree it’s critical for students to understand the concept and how to calculate with fractions, decimals, and percentages. But after that is solid, and especially as these students are navigating the school classroom and everyday life, it’s important they have a tool like the DysCalculator App at their fingertips to lessen anxiety and help them quickly compute. DysCalculator App Website

My Book’s 4th Anniversary

This month was the 4th year anniversary of my book’s publication. I continue to hear from you all how helpful it has been for navigating your child’s, or your student’s, or your own dyscalculia journey.

I also hear from parents of children with other learning disabilities that this book has helped them with the school system and their feelings about their child’s learning disability.

If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend picking up a copy, and consider an additional copy to share with family member or educator. 

I’m honored to hear how the book is helping families, educators, students, and adults from all around the world. 

Thank you also to those of you who help to spread the word by leaving your positive reviews on Amazon. Thank you!

Listen to the Introduction here: Listen or Read Introduction Here

Join me on Substack

This monthly newsletter is now hosted on Substack, an online newsletter platform. Substack was created for writers like me who are not fans of Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms. 

You can receive this free monthly newsletter in your email inbox, or receive extra resources and support as a paid subscriber, including:

• Exclusive content. Twice a month, receive a personal email post from me with a downloadable PDF, audio recording, email template, or guidance,
• Community and connection. Ask questions, leave comments, or respond to myself and others about the dyscalculia articles.
• Full archives of dyscalculia resources. Access all the resources in past newsletters and exclusive content posts.

Your paid subscription enables me to provide ongoing dyscalculia resources while providing financially for my family. I am so grateful for your support and commitment to spreading dyscalculia awareness, education, and support.

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