The Role of Functional Math Skills In Special Education

Children must first understand the basics to develop the functional math skills they will need to live independently as adults. When it comes to special needs education, it is often helpful for educators and parents to develop an individualized education plan (IEP) to address each student’s strengths and weaknesses. To establish a proper foundation – students must first learn how to read and write numbers, be able to count in increments, and perform basic operations such as addition and subtraction.

Mastering these concepts is critical for children to reach the next stage of functional math skill development, such as telling time, counting money, taking measurements, and following a routine. While this may seem like a lot for a child to learn, breaking it down into smaller, more attainable goals, also known as IEP goals, will help students not to feel overwhelmed. IEP objectives will also help educators and parents better monitor a student's progress and make necessary adjustments to address any concerns.

Incorporating Functional Math Skills In The Classroom

Children with special needs often face additional challenges in an academic environment stemming from certain conditions, such as executive function disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. These conditions often result in difficulty with organization, staying on task, and transitioning to a different activity. Teachers can help students overcome such challenges by incorporating written and visual instructions, a daily classroom schedule, individual student goals, and real-world, hands-on activities into the curriculum.

Did you know?

Helping children to learn and master functional math skills in the classroom is necessary to develop independent living skills as adults. Since many of the challenges children with special needs face are so wide-ranging, an individual approach is critical for ensuring student success. To help students grasp more complex concepts as they progress, playing off of their unique strengths and interests is often helpful in developing more effective individualized lesson plans.