Math learning questions?

Christa, Flemming and I, us from the dyscalculia association, are having meeting with a professor this Tuesday. We are having the meeting for a lot of reasons, but I hope I can squeeze in some questions about dyscalculia for my own curiosity’s sake.

This lady has written 20+ books/essays etc. about learning math. She says she has only met few people with dyscalculia, but she and another professor (whom we are having a meeting with December 2, so I have a chance to ask her too) are probably 2 of the few people in Denmark who has researched dyscalculia.

So, I was just wondering, do any of you have any questions, now that I have a chance to meet 2 pro’s?

i mean you are an awfully young lady...not an awful young lady! I cannot type well, I am sorry

Hey, I'm not THAT young, I'm 22 in 13 days.... Ok ok, you are young if you actually count the days... I'm 5 and a quarter and 5 days ;)

But... Thanks :)

Ok, I'll ask her about popular learning methods for people who struggle in math...

I guess it's time for an "update".

We had the meeting with Lena Lindenskov nov 23, and it was great. She wants to work with us!

She wants to start an interest group with us, and others in her field, to make this a known problem. We have made a long list of things we want to be a part of the interest group together, like... finding out how dyscalculics can be helped, how teachers can be educated in this and... and to find out how to make a GOOD screening test (the ones that exists... sucks).

Then last Thursday, we had a meeting with the other pro, Lene Østergaard Johansen, and that was a great meeting too. She really wants to work with math learning difficulties full time, it is her... what do you call it? Her passion? That sounds creepy, can't find another word for it...

Anyways, she wants to join the dyscalculia association too, and she wants to make the interest group. Lena and Lene knows each other a little, so that’s great.

Every year for a couple of years there have been a conference in… “Nordic Research Network on Special Needs Education in Mathematics”, and Lene is in charge of the one in October 2005. It’s for teachers and people who has something to do with mathematics or learning difficulties/the brain. Christa and Flemming have been to one of the conferences, but just as guests. Maybe, in October, Christa, me, and hopefully a parent of a dyscalculic child are going to make a workshop and speeches so that the people on the conference actually gets to meet with the people they are there for. They haven’t done that before, strangely enough!

Furthermore, we have finally found a guy that wants to make the associations website for free – it hasn’t been updated since March, because Flemming haven’t had the time and Christa and I don’t have the skills to do it.

But, we are still looking for some way to get an office from the state. We need a place to have meetings and a place were people can come to us – and money to make brochures and stuff. And, A PHONE LINE.

We don’t have any meetings the next couple of weeks, I think we will wait till after Christmas, we have really had a lot of meetings lately, and I think we need time to think… think about what we are going to do next and how we are going to get an office.

But now, we have 2 pro’s that wants to join, that’s so cool! :)

President! Wow! The president of Paris Hilton... Hmmm... :D

But thanks for your vote! I'm voting for you then ;)

One of the major reasons for doing this is so that I can "deal with it", you know. And I think that learning about dyscalculia and sharing what I learn, will help me get past... my past ;)

Journals? You mean, what they have published? A lot! Actually, a lot in English too. I don’t know how to find the specific articles etc., but here you have what they are called… Maybe you can find some of it online.

Lene Østergaard Johansen, PhD fellow, teaching assistant professor
http://www.freewebs.com/dyscalculia/LJO.jpg

Johansen, L. Ø. (2002e). The Concept of Bildung and goals of numeracy teaching. Literacy and Numeracy Studies: An International Journal in the Education and Training of Adults. Vol. 11, No. 2. page 37-46.

Johansen, L. Ø (2002a). Goals of numeracy teaching. I:L. Ø. Johansen & T. Wedege (Eds.), Numeracy for Empowerment and Democracy? Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Adults Learning Mathematics. Roskilde : Centre for Research in Learning Mathematics. page 103 - 111.

Johansen, L. Ø. (2003a). Why teach numeracy to Adults?. I: D. Kaye et al., Policies and Practicies for Adults Learning Mathematics: Opportunities and Risks. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Adults Learning Mathematics. London : Avanti Books. page 204-213.

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Lena Lindenskov

Lena Lindenskov
The Pupil’s Curriculum, Rationales of Learning and Learning Stories. In: Noss, R. et al (eds) (1990) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Political Dimensions of Mathematics Education: Action & Critique. London: Institute of Education, University of London.

Lena Lindenskov
Mathematical Concept Formation in the Individual, pp.61-68. In: Booker et al (ed) (1990) Proceedings of the Fourteenth Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference. Vol I. Mexico.

Lena Lindenskov
Everyday Knowledge in Studies of Teaching and Learning Mathematics in School. pp.325-333. In: Furinghetti, F. (ed) (1991) Proceedings of the Fifteenth Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference. Vol II. Assisi.

Lena Lindenskov
Exploring the Student’s Own Mathematics Curriculum, pp.149-156. In: Malone, J.A. and Taylor, P.C.S.(eds) (1993) Constructivist Interpretations of Teaching and Learning Mathematics. Perth, Australia: University of Technology.

Lena Lindenskov; Kirsten Haastrup
Differential Performance in Assessment in Mathematics at the end of Compulsory Schooling – Denmark, pp.23-39. In: Burton, L. (ed) (1994) Who Counts? Assessing Mathematics in Europe. London: Trentham Books.

THIS IS GOOD! I have it in danish
Lena Lindenskov
Everyday Knowledge and Mathematics. Learning Processes in School. 1994.

Lena Lindenskov
Developing guidance material to uncover a mathematical profile of adult participants on a crane course. In: Coben, D. & O'Donoghue, J. (eds.) (1997) Adults Learning Mathematics. Proceedings of ALM-4 the Fourth Conference of Adults Learning Maths - A Research Forum, 4-6 July, Limerick, (pp. 129-133). London: Goldsmiths University of London.

Lena Lindenskov
Unskilled worker in adult vocational training: identifying multiple informal methods and comparing proficiency across contexts. In: Olivier, A. & Newstead, K. (1998) Proceedings of the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 22, 4-300, 12-17 July. Bellville, South Africa: University of Stellenbosch.

Lena Lindenskov; Eigil Peter Hansen
Two dilemmas in Communicating Mathematics in Adult Basic Courses: How to meet pre-knowledge of adult learners and How to support democratic classroom decisions. In: Schmidt, Mary Jane & Safford-Ramus, Katherine (compilers) (2001) A Conversation between Researchers and Practitioners. Proceedings of Adults Learning Mathematics – 7, 6-8 July 2000, Boston. (pp. 29-33). Medford, Massachusetts, USA: Tufts University.

Good luck ;)

Some day Ill ask them where I can find all these articles... Some day.

Great stuff! Keep up the good work!!