Our students’ ability to read affects everything they do. If they cannot read, they will not be able to read their textbooks or simple word problems in any content area. The “Matthew Effect” says that the good readers will continue to improve while poor readers will fall further behind making the achievement gap even wider as shown by this graph. This suggests that it is not enough to only incorporate reading strategies and practices within their language arts classes. It is essential to integrate these skills into all content areas, because the more students see and practice these skills the more likely they will transfer them into their long term memory. Then, they will become automatic. With this automaticity, the hope would be that this gap closes.
Reading will help students make connections between math concepts, other content areas, the world around them and within themselves. It really goes back to the literacy concept of text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world. We all know the more we connect new knowledge to what we already know and our experiences the more meaning that concept will have in the end.
Finally, reading in class causes students to move beyond the surface level of math. Consider what Yeap Ban Har said, "Everyone is good at math, because everyone can think. And math is about thinking." If you can think, you can do math. So by reading, students’ thinking moves to a higher level. They begin to ask those higher level questions about concepts not just how to do something. Math moves beyond procedural elements. As they explore concepts, there is a certain amount of wonder that comes with it.
Reading will help students make connections between math concepts, other content areas, the world around them and within themselves. It really goes back to the literacy concept of text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world. We all know the more we connect new knowledge to what we already know and our experiences the more meaning that concept will have in the end.
Finally, reading in class causes students to move beyond the surface level of math. Consider what Yeap Ban Har said, "Everyone is good at math, because everyone can think. And math is about thinking." If you can think, you can do math. So by reading, students’ thinking moves to a higher level. They begin to ask those higher level questions about concepts not just how to do something. Math moves beyond procedural elements. As they explore concepts, there is a certain amount of wonder that comes with it.
OMLA Presentations
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Fictional TextsAll of the Above
To start your school year off right, try reading this novel with your students. Based on a true story, this novel takes you through life lessons on success and achievement while facing adversity.
The Number Devil
This fictional story tells the tale of a young boy, Robert, who is visited in his dreams by the Number Devil. Each night Robert learns about a different mathematical concept. This novel does an excellent job of teaching mathematical concepts while allowing you to bring key terminology from their Language Arts class.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll was more than just an author; he was also a mathematician. With his background in mathematics, math appears in this novel. Use this novel (or movie) to close out your school year by having students find the math in the story.
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Basic Literacy SkillsOne Look ~ Dictionary Search Engine
Informational Texts
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