Will Reading strategies increase math scores?
Strong math skills may add up to future success for students and the U. S. Yet, studies show that beginning in middle school, the math proficiency of U. S. Student’s declines in comparison with other developed countries-and by twelfth grade, those proficiencies are lower than in most developed countries (Hyde, 2006).
In our American education system, many schools are facing sanctions because of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). School systems are facing sanctions because they are not making adequate yearly progress (AYP). In 2007 the state of Minnesota reported, that their overall reading increased by three percent in reading and math only one percent. Schools in Georgia continue to struggle with math on the CRCT.
The state of Georgia have a total of 2172 schools the number of school meeting AYP in 2009 was 86%, schools not meeting AYP was 14%. To meet AYP a system must meet under certain criteria’s: 95% participation, Academic Performance (Annual Measurable Objective), a second Indicator. In 2008 - 2009, math scores were at 59.5% with reading at 73.3%. Reading scores are much higher than math scores by a large margin. Which brings me back to the question will reading strategies increase math scores?
Literacy strategies for improving math
When we think of reading, we think of language. (Hyde) suggests, if you use what you know works in reading, language arts, and writing to teach mathematics, you will get some good results. Reading comprehension strategies include asking questions, making connections, visualization, inferring and prediction, determining importance, synthesizing and braiding. Reading strategies can be used daily in math to help students understand the concept of math skills. Students should be given a voice in when teaching an learning is in progress. Lets us the strategy inferring and prediction, students can make all type of connections to real life situations science and math. In math we call it estimation, in science we call it hypothesis, but when you look at the two they do connect to what we teach in science and math. Hyde stated “If you have learned ways to help kids to think effectively and understand ideas in reading and language, use them in math and you won’t be disappointed (Hyde, 2006).” In many elementary classrooms, students watch one teacher carry out each subject matter daily. Is this teacher teaching all subject matters or is he or she putting more focus on particular subject. When integrating math and language or relating problem solving to reading, will the student gain strength and knowledge that is equal in both areas. The real question should be what guides you in determining exactly what your students should do with what they learn. If your strong point in teaching is language then this is where a teacher’s focus would be. “Concepts in math are very different from concepts in language (Hyde, 2006).” For many years, problem solving has been a struggle for students in the American Education system.
(Marzano) believe many of the reading to learn strategies involve engaging students in actively finding ways to create meaning from text or accessing information from text (Marzano, 2006)”. During my years of teaching, I found that when students understand the terminology of the math skills taught they understand the concept and maintain their knowledge and understanding of the skill. In reading, students learn different reading strategies. I think students acquire an understanding of how to use different reading strategies to gain a better understanding of what of reading. “Math has language that tells the reader what must be done, math is also a language unto itself. It is a language that students need to become fluent with (Thorton, 2007)”. When students make connections, they make connections with the text to other texts, to themselves, to the world, and to the media (Thorton, 2007)”. When students visualize they create a picture in their mind as they read in reading or when problem solving in math. They then take this visual and create a drawing to reflect their interpretation of what they comprehend.
Another strategy is synthesizing. Synthesizing is using new information and relating it to something read previously. In math as we teach students concepts and skills we teach the basic concept of that skill or a concept that was taught or the student learned in an earlier grade. Teaching students to braid will help them to apply reading strategies to solving problems in math. “ When teachers are making word problems or even selection word problems for their children to solve, they should look to make the language as clear as possible (Thorton, 2007)”.
Comprehending Math language
“Mathematic is a language that is used every day in the lives of all people, it is used to communicate, to solve problems, to engage in recreation, to create works of art and mechanical tools (Adams, 2003)”. Math consists of two types of problems, math expressions and equations and word problems. They both have their own issues when comes to comprehension viewpoint.
“Critics and their rational states that reading comprehension for math should be taught key word methodology of solving word problems. Key words help the problem solver determine which math example. Cathy Seeley, past president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics states, “this type of practice does not work and very easily, fall apart on two level clue words or ticks does not work because of the type of test items. Secondly, the time it takes to memorize and students are not able to apply it to the concept in question (Adams, 2003)”.
Bellveau, realized that her students didn’t understand the difference between a sum and a product (Bellveau, 2001).” I think this is an excellent point that supports the need for students to use reading comprehension strategies to gain a better understanding for math concepts.
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