Math and Literacy
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Second language French students need to have enough oral vocabulary to be able to talk about math concepts. Teaching math vocabulary becomes an even bigger focus in French Immersion classes, because children may not have the language to say something like “more than” or “under”, much less explain their reasoning or describe a graph.
Using math language should be built into conversations, class discussions and the literacy program. Although one option for math when students have low language skills is to take the language out of math, we believe that language is the way people express their ideas about all subjects, and if anything, these children should hear more math language and constantly be using their growing oral language skills and vocabulary to ask and tell about math. When teaching during the math period, focus will be on orally explaining concepts, rather than writing them down.
In this classroom, math is incorporated into the morning routine. As students come in, they use their oral language to ask a survey question, and translate this visually into graph form. Later, one student will describe the finished graph with everyone’s results. Math vocabulary can be included in the morning discussion, including talking about the calendar, schedule and weather. As seen in the first recipe below, numbers and the concepts of more and less can be incorporated into choosing activity centres.
Using math language should be built into conversations, class discussions and the literacy program. Although one option for math when students have low language skills is to take the language out of math, we believe that language is the way people express their ideas about all subjects, and if anything, these children should hear more math language and constantly be using their growing oral language skills and vocabulary to ask and tell about math. When teaching during the math period, focus will be on orally explaining concepts, rather than writing them down.
In this classroom, math is incorporated into the morning routine. As students come in, they use their oral language to ask a survey question, and translate this visually into graph form. Later, one student will describe the finished graph with everyone’s results. Math vocabulary can be included in the morning discussion, including talking about the calendar, schedule and weather. As seen in the first recipe below, numbers and the concepts of more and less can be incorporated into choosing activity centres.
Related Food Groups
Oral Language Vocabulary Curriculum Expectations Examples of where to integrate literacy in the Math curriculum in Mid Stage 1 Number Sense
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Literacy Integration Through the French as a Second Language Curriculum B1.2 Producing Oral Communications: using familiar words and expressions, produce planned and rehearsed messages in French containing information and ideas about themselves and their family, friends, and immediate environment, with contextual, auditory, and visual support B2.2 Interacting: engage in rehearsed and spontaneous spoken interactions, in structured and guided social and academic contexts, on familiar topics related to matters of personal interest or daily routines |