Dyscalculia · 1st–2nd Grade

Dyscalculia in 1st & 2nd Grade

First and second grade is when basic math facts should begin to stick and simple arithmetic starts feeling automatic. When numbers still don't make sense, the gap tends to widen with every new concept.

Serving Long Island & Queens, NY

What to look for

What to look for in 1st and 2nd grade

  • Relying on counting fingers long after classmates begin recalling facts from memory
  • Basic addition and subtraction facts that don’t stick despite regular practice
  • Confusion about place value — what each digit in a two-digit number represents
  • Difficulty understanding how addition and subtraction relate to each other
  • Losing track of the steps in simple, multi-step problems
  • Anxiety, tears, or avoidance whenever math work appears

Effortful counting isn’t the concern by itself — it’s counting that never gives way to recall, long after instruction and practice.

Why this stage matters

Why this stage matters

Math is cumulative in a way few other subjects are: each concept assumes the one before it is solid. A child who hasn't developed real number sense can still pass early assessments through memorization, then fall sharply behind when problems require flexible thinking. Identifying the difficulty now, while the material is still concrete, makes intervention far more effective.

More than a MAth test

What a dyscalculia evaluation looks at

The evaluation separates number sense from memory, attention, and language, so instruction targets the real source of the difficulty.

Reading & decoding Phonological processing Reading fluency Reading comprehension Language Spelling & writing Memory Attention Executive functioning Processing speed

Every evaluation is individualized based on your child’s history, concerns, and profile — never a one-size-fits-all package.

The process

How the evaluation works

1

Consultation

We discuss concerns, history, and the questions you want answered.

2

Records review

We review school reports, records, and previous testing.

3

Testing

Two to three in-person testing sessions, about two hours each.

4

Interpretation

Dr. Duhning integrates and synthesizes the data.

5

Report

We meet virtually to review the findings, recommendations, and written report.

6

Roadmap

You leave knowing what your child needs and what to do next.

1st–2nd Grade · Dyscalculia

Are math facts just not sticking?

An evaluation can show why — and what kind of instruction will work.

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