Ebooks for learners with dyscalculia

Unlike most other ebooks, these ebooks – in the series ‘Help your child master numeracy’ – are designed to do more than just create a screen version of an existing written text. These ebooks have been created specifically so that readers can watch and re-watch the many short videos embedded into the chapters of the book. The videos demonstrate each activity and game, alongside the explanations and illustrations in the text.

In the case of the numeracy activities, the videos showcase exactly what to do and what to say while working through every stage of each topic; in the case of the teaching games, the videos provide a quick and easy way of picking up the rules and sometimes also invite the child to play along as a virtual opponent while learning the rules of the game.

By combining demonstration videos with text and illustrations, this series of ebooks aims to offer resources that are easy to access and use during a teaching session.

Two versions of each ebook are available so that readers can choose between: Apple Books for iPhones, iPads and Mac computers; or EPUB for any ebook reader that can support video content as well as text and illustrations. A free sample chapter from each ebook can be downloaded, either via the Apple Books store or using the links below. See also the Frequently Asked Questions column at the bottom of the ‘Books’ page of this website, for advice about which book or ebook would suit you best.

Exploring Numbers Through Dot Patterns

Download a sample chapter of this book in EPUB format.

Download the ebook games boards in the Resource area.

This book is about teaching for understanding through numeracy games and hands-on experience of concrete materials, all based on familiar dot patterns such as those found on dice and dominoes. There are no tricks or shortcuts, no rote learning, no songs, no drill and repetition and absolutely no worksheets. The ideas have been designed specifically for children who struggle with maths but they would be equally suitable for teaching the basics of numeracy to any child, either at home or at school.

An ebook format is ideal for focusing on exactly the kind of visual approach to learning that best suits most dyscalculic children. The author has taken full advantage of the unique capabilities of an ebook, as compared to a print book, by not only including colourful illustrations on virtually every page but also embedding more than 20 short demonstration videos with a total running time of more than 100 minutes into the text. Each teaching video clearly demonstrates what to do and what to say as you help your child learn the essential facts and number connections that will lead to the development of simple and effective calculation strategies.

Exploring Numbers Through Cuisenaire Rods

Download a sample of this book in EPUB format.

Download the ebook games boards in the Resource area.

This is the second book in the series ‘Help your child master numeracy’ that aims to provide parents with practical ideas for activities and games designed to help their child develop a better feel for numbers.

Because of the nature of Cuisenaire rods, this second book is able to go much further than the first, in terms of larger numbers and more complex strategies. The aim of this series is to demonstrate to parents how children can develop simple calculation strategies that are logical, reliable and efficient.

Embedded throughout the book are a total of 30 demonstration videos with a total running time of 2 hours. These videos show you exactly what to do and what to say as you work through the games and activities with your child.

Understanding Times Tables

Download a sample of this book in EPUB format.

Download the ebook games boards in the Resource area.

Continuing in the series ‘Help your child master numeracy’, dyscalculia specialist Ronit Bird presents an ebook entirely devoted to learning and understanding multiplication tables.

Children who are expected to learn their tables facts simply as a list of numbers, without really understanding what they mean, often have difficulties recalling the facts reliably. The solution is to teach for understanding. This entails focusing on the concepts and the process – the way a child thinks and reasons – much more than on the answers.

In this book, children will be introduced to the area model of multiplication and division in a hands-on and multisensory way. Tables facts are modeled by counters arranged into arrays and Cuisenaire rods stacked to form rectangles. These models create patterns that are highly visual and memorable, which fosters the kind of visualisation techniques that are so important in the development of good mental arithmetic strategies.

If you have never come across Cuisenaire rods before, you are recommended to begin by working through the previous ebook in this series, Exploring Numbers Through Cuisenaire Rods.

Understanding Fractions

Download a sample of this book in EPUB format.

Download the ebook games boards in the Resource area.

This highly practical book is the fourth in the series ‘Help your child master numeracy’, written by dyscalculia expert Ronit Bird.

Many children find fractions difficult, whether or not they have specific difficulties with arithmetic, and many are subject to a whole host of misconceptions when they try to remember the ‘rules’ without properly understanding the concepts.

The book takes a completely different approach and aims to teach for understanding through hands-on experience of paper folding, supported by visualisation techniques and sketching. The topic is taught through practical exercises together with numeracy games specially developed to target the essential concepts that need to be mastered and practised. In common with all Ronit Bird’s books, this ebook contains no tricks or shortcuts, no rote learning, no drill and repetition and absolutely no worksheets. The ideas have been designed specifically for children who struggle with numeracy but they would be equally suitable for teaching fractions to any child, at home or at school.

An ebook format is ideal for focusing on exactly the kind of visual approach to learning that best suits most dyscalculic children. The author has taken full advantage of the unique capabilities of an ebook, as compared to a print book, not only by including colourful illustrations on virtually every page but also by embedding into the text 16 demonstration videos with a combined running time of 67 minutes. Each teaching video clearly demonstrates what to do and what to say as you help your child learn the essential concepts that provide a solid foundation for simple and effective calculation strategies.

Refund policy

If you buy via Apple Books, we have no control over refunds – you must apply to Apple for this, who will then remove the purchased ebook from your library.

If you purchase an EPUB via our direct PayPal links, no refund is available since your purchase grants automatic and immediate access to the EPUB and there is no way to cancel your access or deactivate the EPUB file afterwards. Free samples are available of all the ebooks, so please feel free to download and read these before you buy.

Sample chapter

Here is a complete sample chapter from the first ebook in the series, Exploring Numbers Through Dot Patterns. The chapter contains 11 illustrated pages and 3 embedded demonstration videos. The link below is for the EPUB format of the sample chapter. Alternatively, use the Previous/Next tabs at the top right of the iPad simulation below to see the same sample chapter presented as an Apple Books extract.

Click here to download as EPUB

N.B. The above is a simulation only and therefore cannot reproduce the experience of reading the book and watching the demonstration videos on an iPad or a computer screen, in particular with regard to access to the videos and the clarity of the images.  For a more accurate preview of this ebook, please download the free sample chapter from the Apple Books store onto your iPad or your Apple computer, or click the link above the iPad simulation to view the chapter and watch the embedded videos in an EPUB format.

Find details of two Maths Games ebooks here  Two ebooks containing instructions and demonstration videos of some teaching games are: Card Games for Addition & Subtraction  and  Dice & Domino Games. The Maths Games ebooks, which do not form part of the series Help your child master numeracy described above, are free.