Dyscalculia Teacher Training
Dyscalculia Association : Specialist Dyscalculia Training
Prof Steve Chinn and Judy Hornigold, set up the Dyscalculia Association in 2018, and now offer two online courses in dyscalculia; one at level 3 and one at level 5 .
The level 3 course is designed to give teachers and teaching assistants an increased awareness of dyscalculia. It explores what dyscalculia is and how it differs from more general maths learning difficulties. The course also covers maths anxiety in detail and how to identify learners with dyscalculia and maths anxiety as well as strategies to support them.
It looks at how maths learning typically develops including:
- The impact that domain specific and domain general deficits may have upon learning and performance in mathematics in education, the workplace and everyday life.
- The range of strategies and procedures an individual might use to perform calculations and solve mathematical problems at their current level of mathematics.
- An understanding of which strategies and procedures are least/most efficient and effective in different situations.
- The stages and processes by which mathematics skills are developed and the normal range of variation that might be expected for the individual’s age and/or level of mathematics education.
- Typical error patterns for individuals who are struggling with particular aspects of mathematics.
The course also covers theories of learning put forward by educationalists such as Piaget, Bruner, Vygotsky, Dienes and Skemp.
It looks in detail at the approach to teaching maths used in Singapore, in particular bar modelling and the effective use of a range of manipulatives.
Theories of learning.
There are interviews with experts in the filed such as Daniel Ansari, Bobby Seagul, Mahesh Sharma, Brian Butterworth, Jane Emerson, Bernie Westacott, Kinga Morsanyi and two adults who both share their experiences of living with dyscalculia. More interviews are planned!
The course is assessed by means of four practicum assignments where teachers can reflect on their own teaching practice, the impact of maths anxiety, poor fact recall and other co-occurring difficulties as well as detailed accounts of the Professor Sharma’s approach to teaching maths and an exploration of how Singapore Maths can support learners with maths difficulties and maths anxiety.
Monthly zoom sessions are held on a Sunday where course participants have the opportunity to meet each other and to ask any questions of Steve and Judy. Judy is the course tutor responsible for marking assignments.
The level 5 course covers all of the content of the level 3 course with the addition of an assessed teaching element, that is led and reviewed by Judy. Teachers are required to plan and deliver a set of 10 one hour lessons on a learner with an identified need in Maths. As well as planning an intervention there is training on how to screen and assess for dyscalculia, led by Steve and based on his diagnostic book, More Trouble With Maths, which is a SASC approved diagnostic tool.
The course also offers an optional module for teachers who are currently qualified to assess for dyscalculia, based on the latest SASC guidance.
We have teachers from all over the world on the course from the United States to Australia and have formed an active community with a course forum, Facebook group and a course padlet where teachers can upload and access a wide variety of resources and articles.
Course enrolment is on the 1st of each month. We hope that you will join us!
For more details please contact judy@judyhornigold.co.uk
