What is Dyscalculia?

“Dyscalculia” is a learning disability that affects how people perform mathematical calculations. The term “dyscalculia” was first coined by the Austrian-born American neuro-psychiatrist, Dr. Josef Gerstman (1887-1969), during the 1940s. Later, in the 1960s, Czechoslovakian psychologist Dr. Ladislav Kosc explored the notion of “developmental dyscalculia” with the first systematic study.

The term dyscalculia is derived from Latin and Greek, “counting badly,” with a more general meaning of “mathematics difficulty.” Dyscalculia is far more than just a mathematics phobia, where students simply say, “I don’t like math,” or “I am not good at math.”

By Lilly J. Tennant and Raymond F. Tennant

Lilly J. Tennant, is the holder of a doctorate in Special Education from the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. She is an associate professor at the Emirates College for Advanced Education in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Mrs. Tennant is an expert in teacher education in special needs and inclusive educational practices. Her areas of published scholarship, presentations and funded research include: issues in special education, inclusion, use of technology in teaching and learning, parent perceptions of inclusive practices, home and school partnerships, and differentiated instructional strategies.

Raymond F. Tennant, is the holder of a doctorate in Mathematics from the State University of New York (SUNY) in Albany, New York. He is a professor of Mathematics and head of the Effectiveness and Accreditation Center at Al-Hosn University in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Mr. Tennant is an expert on group theory and topology, Islamic ornamentation and architecture, connections with culture and history in teaching mathematics, and experienced in promoting institutional research and accreditation in higher education.

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