The Role Vocabulary Plays in Math

 One idea/question that I have been wrestling with lately is "What is the role of literacy in mathematical understanding?"  I have noticed that my gifted students are very adept at processing equations and showing ideas with numbers.  I have seen a lot of growth and understanding in their flexibility to solve problems in multiple ways and assess which ways are most efficient. 

 However, there seems to be difficulty around multi-step and multi-part math stories and interpreting these stories in order to make sense of them mathematically.  With this knowledge, I will be focusing on vocabulary usage and understanding in the classroom.  I am creating more vocabulary games, where students need to explain their thinking using vocabulary words in order to make it to the next level.

For example, with Ms. Cairelli's second grade class, my students analyzed a picture and looked to find the math in it.  I placed up a chart of math vocabulary for students to reference in case they needed to scaffolds and supports.  Students looked at the image and told me what they noticed and each time the student used a mathematical term, I gave the class a point.  Ultimately, the class achieved more than the goal of ten points.    

Here is the image I used: 

I listened as students found addends, patterns, arrays, multiplication problems, sums, and discussed results in detail with their classmates.  It was fun and a great way for students to use the vocabulary that we hear in mathematics every day. 

If you are interested in finding more images like this one, you can find them here: Creative Advanced Math