RE: [MATHEDCC] Re: AA without Math Requirement

Lindsey, Dr. Charles (clindsey@FGCU.EDU)
Fri, 2 Oct 1998 08:39:10 -0400

I had a discussion about this with a Psychologist colleague of mine a
couple of years ago. There *is* a recognized disorder called
"dyscalculia" (I may have the spelling wrong), which is diagnosed
clinically by a major discrepancy (I think 1.5 standard deviations)
between performance on basic mathematical tasks and performance on
general intelligence tests (i.e. their math skills are "way below" what
they should be for someone of normal intelligence). Incidentally, this
is basically the same method as for diagnosing dyslexia. However, some
specific causes for dyslexia have been identified such as transposing
words, "seeing it backwards," etc. This makes it easier to treat. I
don't know of any similar explanations for dyscalculia. (BTW, my
colleague was not advocating any exemption for these students. His
response was that "college is not for everybody. You need certain
cognitive abilities to succeed in an academic setting and if you don't
have it you don't have it. The world needs plumbers, and they make good
money too.")

We don't exempt dyslexic students from English requirements--we get
tutors or readers or whatever and find nontraditional ways to help them
master the objectives of the courses. We should do the same with truly
dyscalculic students, and tell those with vaguely expressed anxieties
about math to get an official diagnosis or get over it. I had a lot of
anxiety about taking Sociology when i was a student, and didn't think it
was important for my major. It didn't get me out of the requirement.

Chuck Lindsey, Ph.D. clindsey@fgcu.edu
Director of General Education
Program Leader, Mathematics
Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Blvd South
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565
Phone: (941) 590-7168 FAX: (941) 590-7200
http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/clindsey

> -----Original Message-----
> From: CoolMath2@AOL.COM [SMTP:CoolMath2@AOL.COM]
> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 1998 9:08 PM
> To: hburn@CTC.CTC.EDU; RWTNTS@RITVAX.ISC.RIT.EDU
> Cc: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu
> Subject: Re: [MATHEDCC] Re: AA without Math Requirement
>
> In a message dated 10/1/98 2:45:53 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> hburn@CTC.CTC.EDU
> writes:
>
> << Just a queery: Does anyone know of a college which will grant an
> AA
> without a math requirement if a student can petition for it and
> convince
> some governing body that they are incapable of passing a
> college-level
> math course which has an intermediate algebra requirement? >>
>
> If there is, I don't think I want to play this game anymore!!
>
> Karen
> www.coolmath.com
> Orange Coast College
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