https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh Reading Basics en-us 2021-09-14 15:10:01 UTC 2024-10-14 11:45:46 UTC hello@padlet.com chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1737419777 Notice the wide gap between comprehensions, which is still there (although decreasing) during middle school. This is the reasoning behind why it is vital to continuing to encourage and develop oral language skills in the classroom. In middle grade mathematics this will be crucial to students as they approach algebra as they will need a good base mathematical vocabulary to understand the more complicated topics that await in high school. 
This is also an example of a visual aid which seeks to further learning by supplementing oral language to foster connections in the material.

Stricht, T.G., & James, J.H. (1984). Listening and reading. In P.D. Pearson, R. Barr, M.L. Kamil, & P. Mosenthal (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research (Vol. 1, pp. 293–317). White Plains, NY: Longman.

]]> 2021-09-13 21:26:58 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1737419777 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1737433803 The five components that make up oral language are phonological skills, syntax, morphological skills, pragmatics, and semantics (Moats, 2010). Understanding the multiple facets of oral language can help in teaching students by focusing on vocabulary terms and ensuring that each student has opportunity to use them aloud. 

Moats, L. C. (2010). Speech to print: Language essentials for teachers (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.]]> 2021-09-13 21:36:29 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1737433803 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1737449731 This is a great example of how to incorporate the triad method into lessons in order to foster oral language in all students. You have one student make a statement, a second questions the statement, and then a third that then would summarize the content of the first and second students (Gilbert, 2015). This would allow the material to be more fully realized by asking students to talk about their thought processes. This could be used in my classroom to not only bolster understanding but also promote collaboration and use of native languages.

Gilbert, C. (2015, October 26). Conversations with a purpose. ZONES MATH - A MATH WORKSHOP MODEL FOR TEACHING BALANCED MATH. Retrieved September 13, 2021, from http://zonesmath.weebly.com/blog/conversations-with-a-purpose. ]]> 2021-09-13 21:47:34 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1737449731 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739669419 This breaks down why teaching math vocabulary to students is so important and gives several techniques as to how to implement good practices in the classroom through demonstration, allowing students to support each other through use of their native language(s), pre-teaching new vocabulary terms, and incorporating visual aids and graphic representations (Robertson, 2020).

This will be very important in my classroom as many children are not as developed in math as others and breaking down vocabulary terms and using multi modal ways of presenting these terms will make daunting vocabulary more accessible to children. This is especially true with students that are ELs as although they may understand the concept, they may not be able to effectively communicate these words into English. Hence, this is why it is vital that we empower children with the tools (in this case, mathematical vocabulary) in order to develop critical consumers of math.

Robertson, K. (2020, February 18). Math instruction for english language learners. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/math-instruction-english-language-learners. ]]> 2021-09-14 14:31:54 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739669419 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739683327 This website explicitly defines oral language as "is the system through which we use spoken words to express knowledge, ideas, and feelings (Audet, 2021, p. 2). It individually separates the five components of oral language and explains each with examples.

Audet, L. (n.d.). What is oral language? What Is Oral Language? Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://blog.heinemann.com/what-is-oral-language. ]]> 2021-09-14 14:35:35 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739683327 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739952330 "Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the spoken parts of sentences and words" (Phonological, 2020, p.1). This includes the ability for students to distinguish between different parts of a word or sentence and the abilities to rhyme and identify alliteration (Phonological, 2020). It is important to recognize that not all students in my classroom will be fluent in English or may not understand these topics that are typically introduced in elementary school. Learning the 40-44 different phonemes and the associated letters that represent them will allow me to help break down complex mathematical terms to my students.


Phonological and phonemic awareness: Introduction. Reading Rockets. (2021, April 27). Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101-course/modules/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness-introduction. ]]> 2021-09-14 15:50:37 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739952330 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739997136 This research seeks to determine the link between math and reading literacy by means of phonological awareness. "Our study found that phoneme awareness was related to verbal arithmetic when children were asked to solve a single-digit addition or subtraction task without time limits, but not to single-digit arithmetic fluency tasks that were timed and answered on paper with no verbal response needed" (Amland, et al., 2021, p. 47). Thus, it is important to continue having students express themselves orally and that phonological awareness does contribute to their ability to do so. It also found that this awareness did not seem to correlate into written skills.

Amland, T., Lervåg, A., & Melby-Lervåg, M. (2021, January 7). Comorbidity between math and reading problems: Is phonological processing a mutual factor? Frontiers. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2020.577304/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field=&journalName=Frontiers_in_Human_Neuroscience&id=577304. 

]]> 2021-09-14 16:05:03 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1739997136 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1740025387 This blog is ripe with current, relevant content as to how to break down and teach phonological awareness to children.

What is phonological awareness? And how do i teach it? How Wee Learn. (2021, March 1). Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.howweelearn.com/what-is-phonological-awareness-and-how-do-i-teach-it/. ]]> 2021-09-14 16:14:19 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1740025387 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1740079835 This video details research that determined that phonemic awareness is not just a visual concept in which seeing the word repeatedly increased understanding, but rather that this is a visual-perceptual-spatial processing task that requires multiple inputs in order to deeply understand. This is another instance of why it is so important that, as teachers, we present information to students in various formats to cement their comprehension.

Gramenz, J. (n.d.). Orthographic mapping part i. Ms. Jane's Tutoring & Dyslexia Services; An Advanced Certified Tutor, Advocate, Consultant, Screener, & Professional Presenter. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.msjanestutoring.com/dyslexia-vlog/orthographic-mapping-part-i. ]]> 2021-09-14 16:32:25 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1740079835 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1740731505 This article gives some great strategies that I can implement into practice in a middle or high school mathematics classroom. Some of the strategies mentioned including integrating phonics into the content area, helping bridge the language between the learners first language and English regarding vocabulary terms, finding appropriate materials that are more accessible, using music to aid in understanding, and creating games (Robertson, 2021). All of these practices are essential in ensuring that math material is as accessible to all students. This ensures equity within the classroom when all students have what they need to be successful and become fluent in the language of math.

Robertson, K. (2021, June 14). Phonics instruction for middle and high school ELLs. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/phonics-instruction-middle-and-high-school-ells. ]]> 2021-09-14 21:15:43 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1740731505 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775053184 High-low books are a great way to engage students in math literacy while these students are still learning and working on phonics. "Effective high/low books provide supports for struggling readers, including illustrations to support the text, carefully chosen vocabulary, simple sentences, compelling stories, and characters that interest the reader" (Sublett, 2020, para. 3). These books are high interest and low difficulty which lends itself to being able to engage students while keeping the text simple and easier to read. Just because a student may not speak English well does not necessarily correlate to mathematical insufficiencies. This would allow me to engage with my students and be aware of where they are and what they know in my content area. This website on reading rockets has links to many high low books that could be used as a great resources to ensure equitability to all students.
 

Submitted by S.Sublett (not verified) on November 8. (2020, October 15). High/low books for children. Reading Rockets. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/highlow-books-children. ]]> 2021-09-28 15:25:22 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775053184 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775102396 Phonics can be difficult for some students to masters, especially ELs whose first language has a more intuitive phonics system. Unfortunately English has more phonemes than it has letters to represent them (44 vs 26), thus leading to the deep orthography of the language (Pauline, 2021). By being aware of language differences in each of my students, I can be more aware of the potential for phonics issues and help students decipher meaning of vocabulary words.

Pauline, S. (2021, July 7). What is Phonics? And Why is it IMPORTANT? ⋆ think Beyond Literacy. Think Beyond Literacy. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://thinkbeyondliteracy.com/what-is-phonics-and-why-is-it-important/. ]]> 2021-09-28 15:38:25 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775102396 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775139037 Cognates are especially helpful to keep in mind for ELs whose first language is Spanish. Cognates can be used as "a tool for understanding a second language" and are merely words that are similar in meaning and sound between two languages (Colorin Colorado, 2021, para 3). It is important, however to not use these two languages to create an interlanguage, but to use cognates as a tool to facilitate the knowledge transmission of math from Spanish to English. Other languages have cognates to English as well, but Spanish is the focus here as there are so many overlapping words and Spanish speaking ELs make up the majority of what I may encounter in Florida schools.

Colorín Colorado. (2021, June 14). Using cognates to Develop comprehension in English. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/using-cognates-develop-comprehension-english. ]]> 2021-09-28 15:48:25 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775139037 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775182289 This blog breaks down many different strategies for aiding in phonics instruction. Although in middle school, not all of them are relevant, I found strategy to be particularly useful. On this website, the author breaks down vocabulary words on the board into their specific phonemes. This could be useful with vocabulary terms in math as some of these disciplinary specific words may be difficult for students to grapple. For instance, when a student was having a hard time spelling the word wren, the author "wrote the word 'write' on the board, suspecting she knew it. She did, immediately. So I underlined the wr and said, 'Use this part of write to help you with this word you don’t know'" (Elkins, 2021, para. 2). By using other, simple words that my students are familiar with to show how the different parts of the unfamiliar word sound, I can give all students the opportunity to engage in the correct pronunciation of mathematical words.

Elkins, C. (2021, February 15). Phonics Part 7: Word Analogy Strategy. Ok math and reading lady. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://cindyelkins.edublogs.org/tag/phonics/. ]]> 2021-09-28 16:01:19 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775182289 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775347421 This website sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin has a great program and videos showing how to implement number talks in a middle school math classroom.  Adding these types of talks to the classroom can be beneficial to all students and for the teacher in that they can use these number talks to surmise where the students are in their learning. The students use number talks as a way to voice their thought processes and engage with the mathematical vocabulary, thus becoming more fluent consumers and producers of math.
 
Borda, D., & Villarin, A. (n.d.). 7Th grade math - What's the Savings?: Inside Mathematics. The University of Texas Dana Center. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://www.insidemathematics.org/classroom-videos/number-talks/7th-grade-math-whats-the-savings. ]]> 2021-09-28 16:54:20 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775347421 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775836041 This guide was a great resource into the importance of fluency in math for all learners. Although it does tend to emphasize procedural fluency, it also delves into verbal fluency in the discipline of mathematics as well. In this guide, the author states that number talks, discussed more later, can be used to "figure something out rather than be told the steps to follow, explain what they think rather than wait for the teacher to explain, explain why rather than just know how, test new ideas and embrace mistakes as part of the process, and see wrong answers and opportunities to learn something new" (Middle, 2021, p. 5-6). This important communication tactic is one of many that could be implemented but would allow me to hear student's voices and how they use mathematical language.

Middle school math Fluency Guide. UnboundEd. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://lessons.unbounded.org/other/8609. ]]> 2021-09-28 20:02:40 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775836041 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775847344 These three levels are especially important to note. I was surprised at how low the level of understanding is at which students would feel frustrated. This is especially important to understand in the context of a math classroom. Children can get bogged down in the wording and although they may be able to understand the concept, they may not have the fluency to be able to discern what the question is asking. This is vital when it comes to assessments as many state sanctioned exams are not written in alternative languages and this could lead to skewed results and the presumption that a child is "not good" at math. 

Fluency: An introduction. Reading Rockets. (2013, November 7). Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/fluency-introduction. ]]> 2021-09-28 20:08:37 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775847344 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775868796 According to Reading Rockets, fluency is defined as "the ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with expression. Reading fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension" (Fluency, 2020, para. 1). Fluency in math is no different. As a teacher, it is my job to ensure that all students are able to speak in mathematical terms as it relates to the content at hand.

Fluency. Reading Rockets. (2020, October 16). Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/fluency.

Sedita, J., & *, N. (2015, June 2). Resources for fluency instruction. Keys to Literacy. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/fluency-instruction/. ]]> 2021-09-28 20:18:55 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1775868796 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830676370 Arguably the most succinct definition of comprehension is understanding. According to Young, "Reading comprehension is the essence of reading. In other words, it is the entire point of reading" (n.d., slide 4). Comprehension is the ability for students to be able to decode what the writing means and be able to personally digest that information.

Young, R. (n.d.). Understanding the process of reading comprehension - ppt download. SlidePlayer. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://slideplayer.com/slide/13694112/. ]]> 2021-10-20 14:58:16 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830676370 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830731952 This graphic representation details the five levels of reading comprehension. In order for students to gain a deep level of understanding in any given text, they must be able to engage with the text at the lower levels before moving into the higher levels. At its most basic, comprehension is the ability for readers to "understand the key vocabulary in the text" (5, 2020). This can be done through making sure that the students are reading materials that are appropriate to their current level whether that be via Lexile leveling or some other means. Then, students move into the literal level of comprehension in which they can find and answer simple questions such as who, what, when, and where. At the third level of comprehension, interpretive, students can begin answering the why and how questions related to the text. Next, students are able to apply the knowledge gained from this text to be able to formulate an opinion or make a connection to their life. At the peak of the comprehension spectrum is affective comprehension. In order to get to this level of comprehension, students must be able to understand both the social and emotional contexts of the information and be able to derive more subtle information from the text including the motivations of the characters within (5, 2020).

5 types of reading comprehension. Hand In Hand Homeschool. (2020, May 27). Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://handinhandhomeschool.com/teaching/reading/5-types-of-reading-comprehension/. ]]> 2021-10-20 15:13:27 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830731952 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830870494 Building the skills necessary for students to comprehend texts is paramount to their success. This is a multi-faced issue however, as comprehension is "the ability to read text, process it, and understand its meaning and involves complex cognitive processes" (Oxford Primary, 2018, para. 1). This can be even more burdensome in mathematics classrooms as "maths texts contain more concepts per sentence and paragraph than any other type of text" (Oxford Primary, 2018, para. 5). In math, students are not wading through a litany of words, rather math is laid out pretty plainly, even when its a word problem. If a student does not understand one term in the sentence, the entirety of the passage could be misunderstood. This creates an obvious challenge when working with ELs but is not limited to just this population. This webinar attempts to explain and give some ideas for increasing comprehension across the board and advocates for an interdisciplinary methodology to surmounting this all encompassing issue.

Oxford Primary (2018, October 9). Comprehension for English and maths? taking a cross-curricular approach. Oxford Education Blog. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://educationblog.oup.com/primary/comprehension-for-english-and-maths. ]]> 2021-10-20 15:52:25 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830870494 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830921031 Leading all students to comprehension of a topic is difficult as students bring a diverse amount of knowledge into the classroom. Having group discussions which attempt to further the entire classes understanding of a topic is important, however "how the questioning unfolds impacts whether or not students view themselves as respected members of the learning community" (Larson, 2018, para. 5). It is imperative that students view themselves as consumers and users of math and not just bystanders. All students have to be brought into the fold with meaningful conversation about complex topics and their voices be heard and validated-even when the "wrong" response is given. Rather, teachers should use that incorrect input to uncover the misunderstanding in the student's mind and help process the student's prior knowledge to help them get to understanding.

Larson, D. M. R. (2021, June 10). Equity is more than access. Education and Learning Resources. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://www.hmhco.com/blog/equity-is-more-than-access. ]]> 2021-10-20 16:08:14 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1830921031 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867860804 Vocabulary can be defined simply as "the body of words used in a particular language" (Oxford, n.d.) Vocabulary is the words that are available for a student to be able to express themselves, both orally and written.

Oxford languages and google - english. Oxford Languages. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/. ]]> 2021-11-04 16:06:01 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867860804 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867887757 There are three main tiers of vocabulary and teaching students each requires educators to be aware of each child's current level of English mastery. In middle grade mathematics, many of the tier one words will likely already be known to students. However, moving into tier two-students may need scaffolding to ensure that they understand the meaning of the words. This is vital if students are to be able to successfully read and comprehend word problems. Tier three words are discourse specific ones and are absolutely necessary to teach through direct instruction. Without access to and knowledge of tier three words, becoming users of mathematics is virtually impossible. This instruction must be explicit and engaging.

DeCarbo, C. (2021, June 25). The Three Tiers of Vocabulary for Classroom Instruction. Miss DeCarbo. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.missdecarbo.com/the-three-tiers-of-vocabulary/]]> 2021-11-04 16:16:04 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867887757 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867909890 Vocabulary can be a powerful tool for students to successfully engage in the discourse of mathematics. One way students can participate in vocabulary instruction is by the inclusion of a word wall. This can be done through a variety of means, in this pictorial representation, it is a educator curated word wall. However, student participation is fundamental to a social-constructivist pedagogy and elicits better recall for students when they are able to actively participate in the creation of a word wall (Bruyere, 2019). Another way to facilitate this tactic that is even more inclusive, would be to have each student have their own, small word wall within their mathematics notebook in which they add words to it with small post it notes as they encounter unfamiliar words (Uscianowski, 2019).

Bruyère, J. (2019, April 22). Building a better word wall. Edutopia. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-better-word-wall.

Uscianowski, C. (2019, June 28). Use these 5 actionable strategies today to grow your students’ math vocabulary. Luminous Learning. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://luminouslearning.com/blogs/sped-math/teaching-math-vocabulary]]> 2021-11-04 16:24:53 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867909890 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867964565 Students learn vocabulary both directly and indirectly through exposure in conversations both inside and outside of the classroom setting. Ensuring that all students within the classroom are privy to " instruction in specific words that are important to students’ content learning or understanding of a particular text" and "teaching students more general word-learning strategies that they can apply to a variety of words, such as analyzing parts of words (e.g., root words)" is imperative to granting access to those words to all (Reading Rockets, n.d.). Creating an equitable classroom requires educators to explicitly teach the pertinent discourse vocabulary in palatable ways to students.

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Vocabulary. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/vocabulary]]> 2021-11-04 16:46:46 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1867964565 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891815787 Sentence starters are a great way to have students engage in spoken and written sentences. Scaffolding writing by giving students pertinent sentence starters to reference gives students a boost to use discourse specific language in a targeted way. As students become accustomed to writing in mathematical terms, this may need to be adjusted or omitted, but including sentence starters can be a powerful tool for engaging ELs and those struggling with mathematical discourse specifically. ]]> 2021-11-15 16:49:57 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891815787 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891838070 "We consistently ask children to make their thinking visible so that their ideas are clearly communicated with the world" (George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2019). Writing is arguably one of the most succinct tools we have to communicate with others. Building up students to be able to communicate how and what they are thinking is imperative to giving children a voice. This video details a word problem solving method that students at Concourse Village Elementary School use to be able to write about their mathematical thinking. By employing tools such as this to scaffold student learning and allowing students to engage in content discourse via both oral and written means, we are creating students competent in mathematics so they can make sense of and critique the world around them. ]]> 2021-11-15 16:57:52 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891838070 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891882437 This chart could be a fantastic resource to explore inside of a middle grades classroom, perhaps it should even be part of an anchor chart. Clearly defining and explaining what each of the terms is asking students to do is imperative to their writing  success, especially when it pertains to standardized testing. The referenced booklet also contains explicit ways in which to teach these new vocabulary terms and argues that "writing fosters community in a classroom and, because writing is a social act, it is a vehicle for students to learn more about themselves and others" (Urquhart, 2009, p. 6). ]]> 2021-11-15 17:15:42 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891882437 chelsealkunkel https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891912363 "Writing is a complex process that requires a wide range of skills — a strong vocabulary; an understanding of genre, text structure, and voice; basic mechanical skills (grammar and punctuation); organizational skills; and higher order thinking" (Reading Rockets, n.d.). Cultivating mathematical writing skills requires critical thought and data analysis but should produce students that are able to thoughtfully explain trends and ideas. According to Petti, mathematical writing includes problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representations (2019). Engaging students in written mathematical discourse may seem daunting, but many ideas abound as to how to scaffold writing tasks to be engaging for all students.

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Writing. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/writing]]> 2021-11-15 17:27:46 UTC https://padlet.com/chelsealkunkel/pdvoppx6o6vvwsnh/wish/1891912363