Can Reading Strategies be used to Increase Math Scores?
Can Reading Strategies Increase Math Scores
Introduction
This research is to explore effective reading strategies to enhance the teaching of mathematical skills and to provide research based strategies for increasing math scores. This action research will address reading strategies to increase math scores.
Literacy strategies to support math.
Teaching reading skills to master mathematics has created an acute problem in terms of pupil reading ability. Students struggle with understanding mathematical terminology to solve word problems. Additionally, students are not fluent readers and lack basic comprehension skills which causes them difficulties in trying to solve problem solving sentences or word problems.
Reading strategies increase math scores
The teaching of reading is a complex task. When combined with the teaching of math skills, the task is quite challenging for students and teachers. The results from the fifth grade 2008-2009 Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test in mathematics indicate that students are not proficient in reading and solving word problems, number operations, geometry, and measurement (Georgia Department of Education, 2009).
“The purpose of teaching comprehension strategies is to enable children to read with deeper, longer lasting understanding, we should never lose sight of that goal” (Keene and Zimmerman, 2007. p. 33). Students who are struggling readers often do not use their schema or background knowledge and they rarely make connections to the text as text to text, text to self and text to world (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000). Students who use connections to figure out new information understand what they have read and the different connections should aid students with comprehension (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000).
Rasinski (2003) stated “Oral reading fosters fluency, which he defines as the ability to read quickly, effortlessly, and efficiently with good, meaningful expression” (p. 26).
Students who make mental pictures in their heads are usually more actively involved in their thinking and it keeps the student focused (Tovani, 2000).
Literacy Strategies to support Math
Students need a repertoire of literacy strategies to support their mathematical skills. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000) suggests that teachers use a K-W-L chart to break down mathematical word problems to students. The K-W-L chart helps students to answer the questions: What I know, What I Want to know, and What I learned.
Hyde (2007) pointed out that students use a K-W- C graphic organizer for using a constructed response answer when trying to solve mathematical problems. Students must use a graphic organizer with the following: What do I know for sure? What do I want to find out? Are there any special conditions I have to watch out for?
Hyde believes the basic kind of questions that students should be asking when solving word problems are as follows (8): What are the conditions, limitations, and constraints of the problem? Is there sufficient information to get an answer to the problem? Is there one answer, more than one answer, or no answer? Are there different ways to represent a problem? Is what I am doing making sense? What have I done so far and where have I been already? In other words, am I making progress with the problem? Finally, are my answers reasonable? As children ask questions about the word problems in front of them, the next step is making a connection to the text in the word problems (p.7).
Effective Math Strategies
According to (Blote, Klein, & Beishuizen, 2000; Cooper et al., 1996; Heirdsfield & Cooper, 2004a, 2004b; Thompson & Smith, 1999) there are many mental computation strategies that can be used for addition and subtraction.
The following strategies are recommended for elementary students: N10, N10C, 10s, 1010, A10, counting, short jump, and mental image of pen and paper algorithm. According to the literature, among these strategies, N10, 1010, and mental image of pen and paper algorithm are the strategies that are used widely by students (p.90).
Carpenter, et al (1999) point out that there are four problems related to addition and subtraction. These are classified as Join, Separate, Part-Part-Whole and Compare. When teachers understand this type of word problems, students and teachers benefit from it: this scaffolds student s learning.
In previous research studies it is noted that when teaching students addition and subtraction with multi-digit it is crucial that students understand how numbers relate and the procedures for solving the problems (Cobb & Merkel, 1989; Klein & Beishuizen, 1994; Maclellan, 2001; Reys, 1984, 1985; Sowder, 1992). A strategy that students use is the conceptual understanding of procedural skills, these students understand multi-digit numbers with place value using ones, tens and hundreds: students may decompose or break numbers apart (Hiebert & Wearne, 1996).
Conclusions
Elementary students are experiencing many difficulties in their daily assignments and on The Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test in mathematics. The classroom teacher is constantly searching for instructional activities to prepare students with a repertoire of reading strategies to increase math scores, literacy strategies to support math, and effective math strategies. The classroom teacher may use a K-W-L chart to break down math problems with students or the teacher may use a graphic organizer called the K-W-C when getting students to understand constructed response type questions. The following math strategies are recommended for elementary students: N10, N10C, 10s, 1010, A10, counting, short jump, and mental image of pen and paper algorithm. Additional elementary math strategies include: Join, Separate, Part-Part-Whole and Compare. All of these reading and math strategies are significant in helping students to become successful in their daily mathematical experiences.
Reference
Carpenter,T., Empson, Susan. B., Fennema, E., Franke, M., Levi, L. Cognitively guided
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Children’s mathematics. March 17, 1999. Retrieved on Jan. 15, 2010 from
http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Mathematics-Cognitively-Guided-
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Cobb & Merkel, 1989; Klein & Beishuizen, 1994; Maclellan, 2001; Reys, 1984, 1985;
Sowder, 1992), Department of Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt University,
Peabody # 330 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203-721, USA. 2
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Georgia Department of Education, Report Card. Retrieved on Nov. 12, 2009 from
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=102&StateId=ALL&T=1&FY=2009
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2000). Strategies that work. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.
Hiebert, J., & Wearne, D. (1996). Instruction, understanding, and skill in multi-digit addition and subtraction. Cognition and Instruction, 14(3), 251–283Hyde, A. (2007). Mathematics and cognition. Educational Leadership, 65(3), 44-47.
Hyde, Arthur. (2006). Comprehending Math. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. An excellent book that uses reading strategies to teach math.
Keene, E.O, & Zimmerman, S. (2007). Mosaic of thought. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.
Tovani, Cris. I Read It, but I Don't Get It. Published, Jan. 10, 2000 by Stenhouse
Publishers- 480 Congress Street, Portland, ME.
