Last Updated on February 7, 2022 by Editorial Team
From motivational quotes to activities, there are plenty of ways to fill in zeal and enthusiasm in dyscalculics. Dyscalculia is a learning disorder where a person has difficulty conceptualizing and performing mathematical problems and even retaining numbers. However, by practising regularly and motivating themselves, they can improve their condition in a great way.
The willpower of an individual can turn into a tip to motivate them. In fact, a lot of things can act as motivating factors. From positive beliefs to activities to music – different ways to get motivation can bring out something valuable in each one of us. These outcomes are generally improved performances, enhanced well-being, personal growth, and gaining a sense of purpose. And such is the case with Dyscalculics too. Motivation is one factor that can help them sail through and even aid in learning.
Several successful people have had a learning disability but have battled all odds and have achieved so much in life. The thing that got them through was nothing but motivation. This post shares some tips to help build strong motivation in dyscalculics so that they can pave their way to success.
Importance of motivation for dyscalculics
Motivation plays an important role in increasing determination and tenacity. It is important to make them believe—Life revolves around living, not around Disabilities. Right perception is an essence to deal with all odds in life, and this is what motivation offers.
Since every day becomes a struggle with numbers, it is only natural to lose all the inspiration. However, following some tips and sticking to them religiously can keep the motivation levels of dyscalculics high and can impel them to condition their mind in this way.
Tips for strong motivation in dyscalculia individuals
Now that you understand that motivation is crucial when it comes to learning disabilities, here are some tips to create strong motivation.
- Believe That Dyscalculia Can Be Worked Through
Having positive views and thoughts are the fundamental motivating factors. Always believe that learning is possible, even with dyscalculia. Like all disorders, dyscalculia too can be battled and overcome by constant practice and perseverance. Dyscalculia might not have a proven cure, but learning is possible by adapting to a new learning process.
- Will Power Is The Solution
Will power is the key to achieving anything. When you have the determination and are constantly learning, you can overcome all the odds one day. So believe in your willpower and wait for success.
- Play Lots Of Games And Activities
Playing both mind and number games can be a great idea to improve your abilities. Without stressing the individual much, they positively impact the numerical ability. You can also indulge in various activities that expose you to numbers in the real-life; this way, you can improve gradually.
Both mind games and number games can bring in amazing learning and motivational experiences. These recreational activities can boost up your zeal and improve your skills numerically. Here are some examples:
- Beans in Box —where the child is asked to estimate beans inbox and then count them to verify.
- Number puzzles show a sequence of numbers for a few seconds, and then the child arranges in the same sequence.
- Finding the numbers – Finding numbers in daily routines, that is, asking the child how many potatoes are there on the kitchen cabinet while cooking, or counting the number of pencils in their pencil box are great examples if you wish your child to be great with digits, despite having this learning disability.
- Know That You Are Not Alone
Understand that you are not alone struggling with numbers; many others are facing the same challenge. You can interact with them and get motivated mutually. At the end of the day, a company would give great moral strength. Talk to others, look at what they have learned, and share your experiences too. This can be of great value to you.
- Inspire From Success Stories
People who motivated themselves and decided to beat all the odds can be the true inspirations for people struggling with dyscalculia. Go through their stories and learn from their experiences. This would help a lot since these experiences are quite similar to yours; this ends up guiding you in various levels of life.
How can you motivate your child?
As a parent, you can get them involved in some helpful home-based activities. These activities give a great time to your child and help them grow and learn numbers faster. Here are some practical activities:
1. Include Dominoes

Playing with dominoes can help your child with simple mathematical calculations. Ronit Bird, an expert in the field, says that children should learn to recognize patterns to identify them instead of counting dots each time. This way, the child, from day one, enjoys playing while learning numbers.
2. Add worksheets to the learning routine

To create interest in numbers, calculations, integers, and in mathematics in general, indulge in worksheets more than books. This can be a great way to help your child overcome the fear of numbers as worksheets are interesting, fun and help the child learn in a fun way.
3. Use Manipulative and Visual models
Try using visual models like practical examples or manipulative to solve simple numerical problems—this way, the child learns numbers faster. You can use anything around to explain the sum visually. For instance: if you want to teach them what 2 + 2 is, take two pairs of socks or pencils to give a live demonstration.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,