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The interaction of language and math: helping the student with learning disabilities

Nancy Bley

Park Century School, Los Angeles, CA nbley@parkcenturyschool.org

Abstract

Too often when teaching math the language component is overlooked but now there is more research about the role of language in math and about how to adapt instruction and material so students achieve to their potential. Bright students who have succeeded in math in the earlier grades often encounter difficulty as the material becomes more complex, involves more sequencing, and reading and reasoning, instead of rote memorization. Recent research is beginning to reflect how students process, learn and retain mathematics. Unlike past research that mostly examined computation, there is more emphasis now on problem solving skills and learning styles. In addition, much of what we have learned from the reading and phonemic awareness research has relevance to the field of mathematics. The combination of these two areas has provided general classroom teachers and mathematics teachers with practical information to use when teaching students with learning disabilities. Mathematical instruction and mathematical comprehension both require receptive and expressive language, inner language, spontaneous language, and language on demand. As a result of this additional research educators have more reliable, researched-based information available regarding important components of learning such as memory, abstract reasoning, sequencing, flexibility and language, to name just some areas. The session will provide an overview of current research with an eye towards providing practical information to use in the classroom. By the end of this session mathematics teachers will have a better understanding of how to incorporate their knowledge of language into ongoing instruction. Participants will receive a PowerPoint handout and an extensive bibliography.

Disclaimer: all the abstracts presented here have satisfied the academic committee as appropriate for presentation at an international conference. However, the material reflects the views of the authors, not necessarily those of the academic committee or the BDA. No endorsement of any approach, product or service is intended or implied.

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