Brain-Based Strategies To Improve Foundational Math Skills

Brain-Based Strategies To Improve Foundational Math Skills

This presentation will explore why many children with language-based learning disabilities also struggle with foundational math skills. There will be a brief discussion on how children learn and acquire basic mathematical skills from a brain-based educational perspective, and the role of processing speed will be featured. Keeping math fun, interactive, and meaningful through games and activities will be emphasized. A discussion of how teachers and parents can help minimize math anxiety and maximize math performance will be an important component of the talk. The role of language, picture cues, memory strategies, and symbolic thinking will be critical in developing automatic fact retrieval and the development of number sense for children with learning differences.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

· Identify the connections between language-based learning disabilities and difficulties with foundational math skills.

· Explain how children acquire basic mathematical skills from a brain-based perspective, emphasizing the impact of processing speed.

· Explore strategies to keep math engaging, interactive, and meaningful through games and activities.

· Discuss methods for teachers and parents to reduce math anxiety and enhance math performance in children.

· Apply the use of language, picture cues, memory strategies, and symbolic thinking to support automatic fact retrieval and number sense development in children with learning differences.

About Your Speaker:

Steven G. Feifer, D.Ed., ABPdN

Steven is dually trained as both a nationally certified school psychologist and board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist. He has more than 20 years of experience working directly in public education and is currently in private practice assessing children at the Monocacy Neurodevelopmental Center in Frederick, Maryland. Dr. Feifer has earned numerous distinctions throughout his career including being awarded the Maryland School Psychologist of the Year, the National School Psychologist of the Year, and received the Outstanding Contribution to the Education and Training of Psychologists award by the Maryland Psychological Association. He remains a popular speaker at many state, national, and international conferences, and has authored eight books on learning and emotional disorders in children. Lastly, Dr. Feifer has also authored three tests on diagnosing learning disabilities in children, all of which are published by PAR.