Third Grader Writing Numbers Backwards and Transposing Double Digit Numbers

Updated on July 15, 2012
M.M. asks from Jefferson City, MO
9 answers

Is it still pretty typical for an eight year old entering third grade to still write numbers backwards and transpose double digit numbers when writing. Verbally she can give the correct answer, but if the answer is 25, she'll write it as 52. She writes 2,3,5, 6 & 9 backwards. She does have mild hypotonia which causes slight difficulty in writing, but is an excellent reader. She rarely transposes letters, and is a strong speller. She just can't remember which way to write the numbers.

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S.L.

answers from New York on

For my oldest son, third grade was the year he stopped writing numbers backwards. I was told, if he is reading on grade level he is not dyslexic. I agree with the poster who said review, review, review place value to help her learn two and three digit numbers and also have her practice copying numerals so her motor memory begins to learn to do it correctly.

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J.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

No. This is not typical. Most experts say if a child transposes numbers and letters after age 7, to get an evaluation by a professional. Don't wait, so she can get help as soon as possible. In the interim, you may find this website helpful with things you can do at home. The site mentions dysgraphia, but if you delve further into her information on the topic, you will realize that dyslexia is in the same family and her protocols are appropriate for these difficulties.

www.dianecraft.org

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C.M.

answers from Chicago on

It depends on why she's mixing them up.

My daughter does NOT have dyslexia. For a long time she would forget which way to write numbers, did it go left to right or right to left? Because she messed it up so often, it created anxiety. The anxiety made it difficult for her to figure out which way to write her numbers. She would actually forget.

For us, going over why numbers are written the way they are seemed to help a lot. I know they cover it in first grade when they are first learning about number places, but not all schools continue to remind the kids about it. Going over number placement (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.) and reminding kids that numbers aren't just an abstract symbol, seems to solve a lot of the issue. For example, writing 52 apples means that there are 5 baskets of 10 apples and one basket of 2. I had to remind my daughter of that well into 3rd grade.

I really do think your first step is really getting her to understand numbers themselves. Once you've determined that she really does understand number placement and she is still mixing up her numbers, then it might be time to see if shes dyslexic.

Good luck!

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J.M.

answers from Missoula on

Sounds like she could be mildly dyslexic to me.

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J.S.

answers from Hartford on

It's still normal at this age, but with some more practice she'll have it down by the end of this next school year.

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D..

answers from Charlotte on

I would try to find someone who works with dyslexics and get her evaluated. Regular OT's and speech therapists aren't well trained to test for this, in my opinion. (Apologies to anyone here who might be both.)

I would not wait to get this checked out.

Dawn

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S.L.

answers from Asheville on

My friend had a neice who did this, her parents took her to a Sylvan Learning Center and she was dyslexic. The learning center also gave her different colored transparent pieces of thin plastic (like report covers for notebooks). She was to lay these over whatever she was reading. For her the red one worked best, but you'll just have to expiriment. It has something to do with the eyes "tricking" the brain into reading the works correctly. After a while she no longer needed the covers. She is now a senior and is going to college next year! But I would have you daughter evaluated by a professional asap before school starts.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

I taught 3rd grade for 8 years and this is not typical. I think if she's got mild hypotonia then that is probably the culprit here. I would make sure you mention it to her teacher though before the school year starts so that he/she will know to watch for it and work on it with her.

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D.T.

answers from Muncie on

I'm dyslexic, I do this all the time. Both letter and number get mixed up for me, I've gotten better over time. Taking my time helps a lot and looking back over my work helped too. My poor pencil erasers never lasted long though. :)
This could be a sign of dyslexia (it can just effect the "math" portion of her brain) and she can be tested for it. If it is, then the teacher needs to be aware of it, because while 52 is not the answer, on your daughter's paper with the knowledge of confirmed dyslexia teacher can "decode" and know that your daughter does indeed know the correct answer it just got switched from brain to paper.

This could be dyslexia or it could work itself out, no real harm in having her tested. Getting her the help and tools she needs early will be a godsend.

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