Math concepts and vocabulary are not easy to understand for every student. Mathematical vocabulary can be tricky because some general English language words have different meanings in math. Therefore, teaching mathematics vocabulary is another important task for teachers to perform while teaching math.
Math vocabulary is a set of words used in math subjects, just like English words. Math vocabulary includes words like decimal, reciprocal, fraction, determinant, quotient and dividend, and many others. Teachers need to strengthen students’ mathematical vocabulary along with teaching concepts.
Actionable Strategies For Teaching Mathematical Vocabulary:
Math vocabulary is vital for understanding mathematics and its importance in the subject cannot be underestimated. However, students generally get confused with some words in math vocabulary; therefore, teaching and explaining such words to students becomes necessary. There are many strategies that educators can use while teaching math vocabulary to students to make it easier for students.
1. Play A Vocabulary Game
Playing a math vocabulary game can be the best way to teach students mathematical vocabulary. There are many games that students can play in the classroom—learning something while playing is the best way to learn and explore.
Even the student can understand the concept easily while playing. A teacher can find many vocabulary games online which can be played in the class.
One game is for teachers to write one vocabulary word on the board, divide the students into pairs of two, and call them one by one.
Then, make the student stand so that one student’s face should be towards the board, and the other person’s back should be towards the board; he should not see what is written on the board.
Next, the person seeing the board will try to explain the word to another partner by expression and gesture, and that person has to guess what is written on the board without seeing it.
This way, students can quickly learn the vocabulary words for mathematics.
2. Use Math Journals
Journaling is the best way to learn vocabulary and words. A person who writes journals has an excellent command of the words and the language, as he practises writing differently.
Writing strategies can also be used for math vocabulary. As a teacher, you can ask your child to write a journal every day after every math class. Ask them to write what they have studied in the whole class.
They can start writing like, “Today we have completed this topic or concept and did this, many questions and found 2 to 3 ways to find a solution to the problem, etc.”
The digital co-teacher made with ❤️ by teachers
ByteLearn saves you time and ensures every student gets the support they need
While writing the journal, students can find different math words they can use daily to help improve their understanding of math vocabulary.
3. Math Word Wall
To make teaching mathematics vocabulary easier, the teacher can create a math vocabulary wall in the classroom.
To prepare this wall teacher needs to create many cards which each word on each card with its meaning, definition, and pictures related to that word. It is good to add those words from the unit in class.
In this way, students see these words daily on the wall they can remember them easily.
Some games can also be played from the words written on the wall. For example, a teacher can give some clue to students to which they have to find the solution, and the solution is among the world on the wall, students have to figure out which word could be the answer.
Or a teacher can also give the fill-in-the-blanks to students in which blanks should be filled from the word on the board according to the given clue.
Teachers can also ask children to find pictures related to the word on the board and ask them to make a collage of all the pictures.
Or they can ask children to choose any of the two words from the wall and find the relation between them.
Teachers first divide them into pairs of two in which one student will draw a picture related to a word on the wall, and the other student will guess that it could be the word.
Through this method, students can use the word on the way to have some fun and learn some math vocabulary words in this fun.
4. Increase the Child’s Exposure To Math Words
When teachers teach students a new word in language classes, they pronounce it, tell students in which context it is used, or show them an image or definition related to it. All this is done to increase the exposure of students to that word.
The same can be done to teaching mathematical vocabulary. Math teachers can use the same method while teaching math vocabulary to students.
When teachers start any new chapter in the class, they can follow the following steps to teach math vocabulary.
- Pre-teaching: In this stage, teachers can introduce all the vocabulary words to students from the chapter by showing some pictures related to that word or telling the definition of the word and explaining them. In this stage, they must explain the vocabulary related to that topic. It might be possible that the student cannot understand the vocabulary at this stage, but it is just beginning.
- Teaching mathematics vocabulary: At this stage, the teacher can explain the exact meaning of the word with the use of the word in actual context, or they can also conduct a discussion on the word and encourage the student to ask any doubt about the word. Teachers can also use the word wall and can conduct various activities related to the word to give a greater understanding of the topic. This way, students can understand the importance and application of math vocabulary.
- Review: At this stage, students should be tested whether they understood the meaning of the words or not. To test children, the teacher can ask the student a question, explain the meaning of the word to another student, or draw an image of the picture related to the word.
It is the best way of teaching mathematics vocabulary to the student by explaining the context in which it is used. It can help to understand better where the words are used. Using examples to explain something is essential as it gives a clearer and deeper understanding of the topic.
5. Make Math Vocabulary Song
It is the most interesting strategy for teaching mathematics vocabulary to the student.
In this strategy, students have to sing the song with the math vocabulary in its lyrics. If you do not find such songs, you can search for them on google or YouTube, or even if you are not finding any songs, students can create some songs themselves.
To create the song, the student has to select a song or melody and do minor edits in the song by adding the math vocabulary to the lyrics of the song, and it should be in such a way that melody or tune of the song should be the same as it was earlier.
Composing a mathematical song is a creative task as it widens the mind and can give a deeper understanding of the word because when they will use any word, they should know the meaning.
Singing the song daily can improve the brain’s retaining power and make it easier for students to learn and understand complex math vocabulary words.
We cannot make mathematical vocabulary easy, but we can make a way to learn it quickly.
This strategy can help the student enjoy the learning process while having fun. This activity can also enhance the creative thinking of the students.
You may also like to read- 15 Back To School Math Activities For 6th Grade
Final Thought:
These are all the strategies educators can use while teaching mathematics vocabulary. It isn’t elementary but can be made easy by simple steps to make learning easier. Math vocabulary is an essential part of the subject and should not be ignored.
Free, standards-aligned math worksheets
Enter your email and we’ll send you samples of our most popular math worksheets.
