Mathematically Speaking!

Mathematically Speaking!

Getting our students to use and clearly comprehend academic language in math (and any other subject area for that matter) is not an easy task.  We know how difficult the Lexile level is for most standardized tests and understand how imperative it is that students can read and take in the terminology.  What if you could address these academic vocabulary words daily without taking a lot of time out of your busy day?



In this blog post, you’ll read about some different ways to turn your students into mathematical speakers!

Asking my students again and again what the word “sum” means always gets quite irritating.  “Boys and girls, I know you’ve heard this word ever since ___(insert grade level here).”  I don’t want to make my students feel bad, but I also want to hold them accountable for knowing their academic language especially when the word is not new to them!  How can I get my students to proficiency on a test if they can’t understand the language provided?  After thinking logically about ways to increase comprehension and vocabulary in math, I realized that a good old point system with rewards always seemed to do the trick.  However, I also knew that I couldn’t stop there.

Using some of these strategies will not solve all of your students’ academic language needs, but they’ll at least get kids motivated to participate and try harder to use more mathematical words.  Here are some of the things I do:

1.   Write “Mathematical Speakers” on the board.  I write this on my white board because it needs to be seen the entire week.  Every time students use math vocabulary, I reward a tally mark next to their name.  The board starts off blank and each name only makes it onto the board once they earn a point (see picture at the top of the blog).  I use sticker charts in my class, so for each point received, a sticker is earned.  Once students fill up their sticker charts, they get to choose a prize from the prize box.  Each time a student receives a point, the class cheers for him or her.  I’ve even heard one of my boys say, “Alright!  You’re a mathematical speaker now!  Woo hoo!” :)
2. When a student shares a response and does not use academic language, I simply say, "Can you restate that like a mathematician would?" The student then has to reach into his or her academic tool bag to come up with the proper vocabulary.
3. Include important academic language/math vocabulary in your room where kids can access it.  Underneath my mathematical speakers area, I have “Math Words of the Week”.  Some of your words might stay up the whole year, and others you’ll need to update weekly.  When my students find a word during the lesson that is not on the board, they share it out loud and receive a Mathematical Speaker point.
4. Box, underline or highlight important vocabulary words within your lessons.  When we read directions together and/or word problems, we always box the verbs so that we are aware of the action that needs to be taken.  For every verb, we number the steps.  If a problem has three verbs, then the students have three steps to complete.  We also identify and annotate other key words.  For example, if we come across the word product, we’ll highlight it and draw a multiplication sign or annotate “the answer to a x problem” above the word.
5. During cooperative learning structures, I walk around to listen to my students' conversations.  I let them know that I'm looking for students to use their math vocabulary like mathematicians.  When I hear students using these words, they receive more stickers.  I also might stop the class to bring attention to an awesome word or conversation that I heard.
6. Create diagrams for students to copy or paste into their math journals.  Ask students to help you label each part of the diagram. See example below:
7. Design a Kahoot or some other formative assessment to continuously spiral through math vocabulary words. The more they practice and have access to this language, the better.

These are just some of the things we like to use during math time.  I’m sure you have many creative and helpful ideas, and I’d love to hear about them!  Please comment below about some of the things that work well for you!

Educating together,

Kimberly Smith Loya

Off to the RACES with Writing!

Off to the RACES with Writing!
I know as teachers we often feel that teaching writing can be absolutely painful at times, but it doesn’t have to be! When given a structure, students are not only successful in writing but have fun doing it! The RACES structure is intended to teach students how to write a constructed response paragraph by analyzing texts, making connections, and citing text evidence to support their reasoning. Not only is this an essential skill for students to be successful on SBAC (as they have many constructed response questions), it goes deeper than a test!  Being able to respond successfully to a constructed response prompt is also a necessary skill that focuses on student’s reasoning skills and helps them to develop and implement their own thoughts and opinions through research.  It’s a life skill!
Teaching students the RACES Writing format will not ONLY improve Writing skills but will simultaneously strengthen their reading comprehension skills as well as their ability to rationalize.  The best part: The structure is simple enough that you can implement this process TOMORROW! When implemented correctly, the RACES format transfers across subjects successfully.  This form of Writing is not an isolated skill.  Students start to become more aware of what they’re reading and spend more time annotating the text when they know they will be writing about it.  Thus, increasing their reading comprehension skills in the process.  I also integrate many different Kagan/cooperative learning strategies throughout the writing process which really helps the students to gain a deeper understanding of the text through the power of discussion.  I have personally seen student’s constructed responses to test questions VASTLY improve after implementing this process in just over a matter of a couple of months.  I love when the students finally make the crossover from KNOWING the steps and going through the motions, to actually making connections and UNDERSTANDING  the process!❤  At this point in the year when I introduce a new prompt and tell the students we will be doing a RACES writing today, I hear “YESSSSS!” throughout the classroom.  My students have come to love writing through this process because they know they are successful and enjoy doing it! In this video, you can see my students completing a RACES Writing constructed response through collaborative conversations. Modeling the RACES process AND giving students the opportunity to interact with each other along the way, is a crucial contributor to seeing success with this structure. MODEL, MODEL, MODEL! It’s more than teaching students the acronym- they need to actually gain an understanding of what each component in the acronym stands for, what it looks like, and HOW to complete that task. The best way to do this is to continuously model how to do each part. Take it step by step.   Rather than modeling the entire process at once, we work on a few components at a time.  We read the prompt aloud together, discuss how to formulate the R and the A pieces, then they write them down.  As you can see in the video, after they have completed these steps, I use the Kagan All- Write-Round-Robin strategy where students go around their table group and one student at a time shares those components. As group members, they listen, give each other feedback and revise their sentences through this discussion.  My kids actually do this well, and it's really very cute to listen to them give each other feedback in a meaningful manner! Notes.  Notes are taken throughout the reading of the text (whatever the text or source may be). I usually have students organize their 2-column notes with the prompt in mind (this saves time and ensures that students are set up for success when it comes time to do the constructed response). Text evidence.  Students will then either refer to their notes or the text directly to identify 1-2 pieces of text evidence that support their answer to the prompt.  In the next part of the video, I engaged students in the Stand-Up-Hand-Up-Pair-Up (SUHUPU) Kagan strategy where they have the opportunity to share the “C” and “E” components of the RACES process.  I let them mix and share a couple of times with different partners, then have a few students share out with the group.  This also supports that modeling component by giving students the opportunity to hear and see successful models from their peers.  Upon returning to their seats they then write down those components on the planning template. Last, we discuss how to write a conclusion sentence (the “S” component), and how it closely relates to the “A”.  They complete this last step and then I guide them through peer editing.  Once this is done, they put their RACES paragraph together on the publishing paper and evaluate their own work through a quick self- assessment checklist. Structuring the RACES writing process in this step-by-step manner ensures that students will be able to complete these steps to their own success when in a testing situation.  The consistent practice and support through collaborative discussions with their peers, myself, and the class as a whole really builds on so many different skills, and allows them to be successful! Collaboratively Learning, Megan Brown megan.brown@omsd.net