Why So Many Kids with Dyslexia Struggle in Math (Even Without Dyscalculia)
- Rebecca Bush
- Jun 8
- 4 min read
When we think about dyslexia, we often focus on reading challenges—but what about math? Dyscalculia is a math-specific learning disability that affects everything from counting and number sense to telling time and estimating. While it’s a separate diagnosis from dyslexia, research suggests that up to 40% of children with dyslexia may also have dyscalculia.
But here’s the catch: even without dyscalculia, many students with dyslexia still find math difficult. Why? Because reading plays a bigger role in math than we might think. Word problems, instructions, and even basic math vocabulary can trip students up—not because they can’t do the math, but because accessing the information is harder.
In this article, we’ll explore the best multisensory way to teach math—whether or not dyscalculia is part of the picture.
The CRA Model
One of the most effective, brain-aligned ways to teach math—especially for students who think and learn differently—is the concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) model, also known as CPA when the middle step is called “pictorial.”
Grounded in the work of psychologist Jerome Bruner, CRA helps students build deep conceptual understanding by moving from hands-on, visual learning to abstract symbols. It’s not just about teaching math—it’s about teaching it in a way the brain can actually process.
We start with concrete materials students can touch and manipulate (like real objects, counters, base-ten blocks, or fraction tiles), then move to representational visuals (like drawings or diagrams), and finally to abstract notation (like numbers, symbols, and equations).
This progression is especially powerful for students with dyslexia or dyscalculia, because it gives them multiple entry points and reduces the cognitive load that often comes with jumping straight into numbers on a page.
Moving from concrete to representational (or pictorial) to abstract helps the brain form critical connections—between a real object, the number that represents it, and the equation that operates on it. This progression isn't just helpful; it's how the brain learns best.
Supporting Your Child at Home
You can support your child by using CRA strategies at home: Start with what they can touch, move to what they can see, and then transition to what they can solve.
While all children benefit from this approach, it’s especially important for students with learning difficulties. Even if their peers are working primarily in the abstract phase, your child may need to revisit the earlier steps more consistently and more often. That’s not a weakness—it’s a strength-based way to build lasting understanding.
Helps with: Developing numerical fluency and an understanding of how numbers work
What You’ll Need:
Small objects to count
Cups and plates
Magnetic numbers or number tiles
Making Mathematical Concepts Concrete
You can incorporate math into your child’s everyday life in fun and subtle ways to make numbers and mathematical concepts more concrete. Here are some ideas:
Counting: Count each step as you and your child go up and down the stairs.
Addition: When playing a board game with dice, roll the dice, then say the numbers aloud and create an equation. For example, 5 + 3 = 8. Start with the larger number and count on for each dot: “5, 6, 7, 8.”
Subtraction: Put 10 crackers or another small snack on a plate during snack time. As your child eats one, count backward. For example, 10 – 1 = 9.
Multiplication: Place three cups in a row and have your child drop two cherries or grapes in each. Skip count to illustrate that multiplication is repeated addition. For example, 3 x 2 is actually three groups of 2: “2, 4, 6.”
Division: When serving finger foods for dinner such as chicken nuggets, have your child place a nugget on each plate until they’re all gone. If there are 12 nuggets and three plates, your child will see that each plate has four nuggets—so, 12 ፥ 3 = 4.
Visual Representations of Numbers
Look around your house for a group of items that can be counted, such as fruit in a bowl. Let’s say there are three apples and three oranges, for a total of six pieces of fruit. Then, using stickers, stamps, or markers, help your child represent the number of concrete objects they see on a piece of paper. There’s no need to color code or draw the actual items, which would only complicate the process. You can also do this with larger numbers, like pieces of silverware, books on a shelf, etc.
Here’s how this might look:
Six pieces of fruit could be drawn as six dots:
Twenty-four pieces of silverware could be drawn as two 10s (represented by bars) and four 1s (represented by dots):
Playfully challenge your child to do this the way an efficient mathematician might think about how to arrange their visual representations. You can use the arrangement of the dots on dice as an example, which makes the total on each side obvious, eliminating the need to recount.
Abstract Concepts of Numbers and Operations
Help your child practice with the abstract concepts of numbers and operations while keeping it lighthearted and fun. No writing down numbers or equations necessary! You can get magnetic numbers or number tiles online, but you can also make your own with index cards and markers. You can use these tiles/cards to match the concrete and representational concepts with the numerals in the previous two approaches. Here’s another idea:
Use the tiles/cards to create an equation. Then swap the numbers around to show the relationship between inverse and related equations, for example:
Tip
Building mathematical fluency is just like learning to read. There are many different skills that must be mastered. If you feel your child is falling behind in math for whatever reason, act quickly to get them help in this area.
Math Is for Everyone—With the Right Tools
Math doesn’t have to be a source of frustration—for you or your child. When we shift how we teach and support learning, especially using approaches like CRA, we create more inclusive, brain-friendly pathways that meet kids where they are.
Whether your child has dyslexia, dyscalculia, or just needs a little more time, moving through concrete, visual, and then abstract steps isn’t a detour—it’s the path. And with just a few tools and some everyday moments, you can make math more accessible, meaningful, and even fun.
Because every child deserves the chance to understand math—and to feel successful doing it.
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