The Language of Maths

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The Language of Maths
Stuart de Boer Teacher Dyslexia Action
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Interrelated Areas in the Learning of Maths
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Maths or Literacy ?

• You go into a shop with 1. You buy two bags of
  crisps at 25p each and a bar of chocolate at 35p.
  
• How much change will you get ?

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Why does the Dyslexic Student Under-Achieve in
Maths ?

• Numeracy problems (tables and four operations)
• Memory (rote learning does not work)
• Speed (dyslexic student slower)
• Concentration (usually poorer than peers)
• Mis-match of learning/teaching style
• Undeveloped skills (held back by poor numeracy
  skills)
• Anxiety and self esteem (big problem)
• Literacy problems
• - failure to read and understand
• the language of maths

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Aspects of Maths Language

• READING The ability to read a question
  correctly (three/there)
• JARGON The ability to understand the specific
  vocabulary of maths
• SYMBOLS The ability to understand the signs and
  symbols in maths (with a bit of algebra thrown in
  for good measure)

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The Language of MathsREADING

• symmetrical
• parallelogram
• perpendicular
• spherical
• consecutive
• millimetre
• millilitre
• congruent
• quadrilateral

• equation
• cylindrical
• denominator
• integer
• approximately
• evaluate
• percentage
• circumference
• isosceles

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The JARGON of Maths

• angles and angels
• multiples LCM
• factors HCF
• third
• even/odd
• times
• sums
• evaluate

• difference
• irregular
• axes (chop chop)
• origin
• left angles ?
• prime
• place value
• second hand (on a clock)

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The Jargon of Addition

• 3 add 4 (or 4 add 3)
• 3 4 ( or 4 3)
• What is 4 more than 3? (or 3 more than 4)
• What is the total of 3 and 4? (or 4 and 3)
• What are 3 and 4 altogether? (or 4 and 3)
• What is the sum of 3 and 4? (or 4 and 3)
• What is 3 plus 4? (or 4 plus 3)
• Increase 3 by 4 (or 4 by 3)

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Hidden Addition Language

• I have 4 CDs and buy 3 more how many do I have
  now?
• There are 6 students in the room and another 2
  come in, how many are there now ?
• I have 50p and find 10p how much have I got now ?
  
• A plant is 7cm tall and grows 2 cm. How tall is
  it now ?
• In the first leg of a football tie the score was
  4 3 and in the second leg, 1 2. What was the
  aggregate score ?

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The Jargon of Subtraction

• 7 take away 3
• What is left if I take 3 from 7 ?
• 7 - 3
• What is the difference between 3 and 7 ? (or 7
  and 3)
• What is 3 less than 7 ?
• What is 7 less 3 ?
• 7 subtract 3
• 7 minus 3
• Decrease 7 by 3

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The Jargon of Multiplication

• 5 times 2 (and 2 times 5)
• 5 x 2 ( and 2 x 5)
• What is the product of 2 and 5 (or 5 and 2)
• 2 of 5 (or 5 of 2)
• 2 lots of 5 (or 5 lots of 2)
• 5 2s (or five twos)
• 5 groups of 2 (or 2 groups of 5)

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Hidden Multiplication Language

• How much for 30 litres of petrol at 85p per litre
  ?
• How many bottles in a crate of 12 rows by 8 rows
• How many days in 3 weeks

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The Jargon of Division

• 12 divided by 3
• 3 divided into 12
• How many 3s in 12
• How many groups of 3 in 12
• Split 12 into 3
• Share 12 by 3
• Share 3 into 12
• Group 12 into 3s
• How many times can you subtract 3 from 12

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Hidden Division Language

• If two pizzas are eaten by eight people, how much
  does each person get ?
• A box of contains 24 chocolates. How many each
  between 3 ?
• How many will be in each team if there are three
  teams and 18 students ?
• How many quarter hour sessions in 3 hours ?
• Four friends go for a meal. The total cost of the
  meal is 120 how much each ?

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The Language of Maths

• leaves

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The Language of Maths
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The Language of Maths
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The Language of Maths

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The Language of Maths
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The Language of Maths
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The Language of Maths

• 3 4

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The Language of Maths

• O

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The Language of Maths
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The Language of Maths

• 346,000,000
• Winston Churchill
• Tony Blair
• Albert Einstein

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Help for Jargon

• Recognition that there may be a problem
• Card families to link clue words to
  meanings/symbols
• Highlight clue words and symbols to focus mind
  in right direction
• Question analysis techniques - what operations
  are
  required and in what order
• Pictures of Questions makes multisensory
• Mnemonics student generated
• Apply Common Sense is answer sensible ?

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Maths Symbols

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More Maths Symbols
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Help for Symbols

• Recognition that there may be a problem
• Card families to link symbol to meaning
• Practice at writing so are clear and distinct
  from others
• Mnemonics preferably student generated
• Personalised dictionary useful reference and
  revision aid

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Numbers and Words
Associated Problems

• Illogical order
• four
• fourteen
• twenty four

• Logical order
• 4
• 14
• 24

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Associated Problems
Place Value Appreciation

• 1979
• 3456
• 448

• MCMLXXIX
• MMMCDLVI
• CDXLVIII

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Associated Problems

• Orientation and Direction
• 6 and 9
• and x
• Start at left or right ?
• Brackets priority (cf. literacy)
• 4 5 b !!!!!

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The Language of Maths
Algebra
x 3 7 3 7 3x 5 Three times plus
five 2(x 4) 14 cf 2x 4 14
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Help with Algebra
x 3 7
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Help with Algebra
2x 4 14
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Help with Algebra
2(x 4) 14
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Help with Algebra
Squares X2
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Help with Algebra
Cubes X3
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Help Summary

• Recognition of reading, jargon, symbols problems
• Need for specific literacy help ?
• Reader for exams
• Card families
• Question analysis techniques
• Mnemonics
• Apply common sense to answers
• Symbol (and number) writing practice
• Personalised dictionary
• Some concrete assistance

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And Lastly Just how badly can maths be
misunderstood ?If you are of a nervous
disposition please look away now ..
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Thank you for listening
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The Language of Measurement - Time

• How long ?
• When ?
• What time is it ?
• Seconds (and sub-divisions)
• Minutes
• Hours

Days Weeks ( fortnights) Months Years Decades Cen
turies Millennia
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Intuitive Time

• Just a minute
• Just a moment, half a sec, two ticks
• Half a sec
• Half an hour
• Eastenders
• Typical film
• Weeks, months, years

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The Language of Measurement - Length

• How long
• How far
• How big
• Length
• Distance
• Height
• Along
• Width
• Span (of hand or bridge)
• End to end

Millimetres (mm) Centimetres (cm) Metres
(m) Kilometres (km) Miles (m)
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Intuitive Length

• Foot
• Stride
• Sports distances e.g. 100metres
• Football pitch
• Distances to familiar places

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The Language of Measurement - Capacity

• Volume
• How much
• Amount of Space

Millilitres (ml) Cubic Centimetres (cc or
cm3) Centilitres (cl) Litres (l) Pints Gallons
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Intuitive Capacity

• Drinks cans/bottles
• Cup/mug/beer mug/wine glass
• Bottles of wine
• Petrol tank
• Car engines (note cc/ml confusion)

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The Language of Measurement - Time

• How long ?
• When ?
• What time is it ?
• Seconds (and sub-divisions)
• Minutes
• Hours

Days Weeks ( fortnights) Months Years Decades Cen
turies Millennia
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The Language of Measurement - Weight
Grams (g or gm) Kilogrammes (kg) Tonnes
(t) Ounces (oz) Pounds (lb) Stones

• How heavy
• Mass
• Load

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Intuitive Weight

• Yourself
• Feathers/lead
• Postage
• Cooking/food
• Gymnasium
• Brick

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Other Measurements
Area Pressure Temperature Humidity Just number
e.g shoe sizes