Reading’s Connection To Math.

I just found an article that I found quite interesting. It was published by the University of Buffalo and looked at reading, writing, and arithmetic.  I love it because I will have an explanation to all the students who tell me “This is math, not english.”   They discovered that the ability to read and comprehend well actually affects how we approach tasks and solve problems.

A researcher wanted to know if a student could be identified as dyslexic based on how the brain worked.  In his initial study with 28 students, half with dyslexia and half without, he was able to identify those with dyslexia about 94% of the time but he needed to do additional research to see if he could generalize it.

So he went to a math study which measured the functional connectivity based on a mental math task.  Functional connectivity describes how the brain is wired every moment and changes according to the task being done. The wiring of the brain changes based on what you are looking at, what you hear, and what is happening.  For instance, you read a sign but as you move a bit to catch the end of the sign, you knock something off a shelf with your elbow, so your brain rewires itself to catch the item rather than read the sign.  So as the brain rewires itself to do a different task, your functional network changes.

He then had students look at completing a language activity and a mental math activity and in the process discovered that the connectivity markers were the same. In other words, although the tasks are different, the functional networks are the same.  He could still identify those with dyslexia but he concluded that the way our brain is set for reading actually influences how the brain works when doing math.

This reinforces the idea that your ability to read affects how you problem solve and helps educators understand why children might have difficulties with both reading and math.  He also concluded that learning how to read shapes how our brain is able to do other things.  

I found this article so interesting.  I found the article here if you’d like to check it out. I realize that the sample size is quite small but it is a start.  I can now rebut the “This is math, not english” with information from this article.  Let me know what you think, I’d love to hear.  Have a great day.

Relating Reading to Math

When I was growing up, math and English were considered two different topics with absolutely no relationship.  Teachers did not try to connect the two.  We didn't have to explain anything, just get the write answer for the problem.

Even recently, when our students are expected to explain their thinking, it is hard to know how to teach students to do this when often teachers do not know how to model their own thinking.

I came a cross a great presentation  in which the person actually relates student learning from English to math.  It shows how these terms apply in math.

In English students are expected to identify the main characters and setting, find the main idea, implied main idea, and supporting details.  They need to make inferences, draw conclusions, and summarize.  If I told you math uses the same skills, most people would laugh their heads off and disagree.  My students would try to commit me to the local loony bin but I assure you, it can be done.

Word Problems in math contain all the information so you can do the same things:

Example 1.  Peter took Jen to the movie theater to see the latest Star Wars movie in 3D. Tickets cost $14.00 each.  How much change did Peter receive if he paid with a $50 Bill.

The characters are Peter and Jen.  The setting is a movie theater.

Example 2. John is replacing tiles in his entryway with 1 foot by 1 foot white tiles.  If his entry way is 6 feet by 8 feet, how many tiles will he need?

The main idea he is having to tile an area so this is an area problem.

Example 3. Joe and four friends went to the movies last Friday night.  Each ticket was $7.50 each, how much did they pay for all the tickets.

This reference uses inference because they have to infer that Joe is included in buying tickets so 5 tickets are purchased, not 4.

This is cool.  It is the first time I have ever seen someone who connected reading standards to word problems in math.  It adds a new dimension to interpreting word problems.

Let me know what you think.  I'd love to hear.