Math and ELLs

In Ontario we have many English Language Learners that are expected to learn and understand mathematics within our integrated system. As Ontario students, ELLs are immersed in our core curriculum and are required to take various standardized tests such as EQAO and OSSLT. 

I often wonder what exactly are our ELLs are thinking as they listen and try to understand teachers in everyday math life. It must be particularly difficult during standardized testing time as they are unfamiliar with new English and Math vocabulary on the test especially since they can not receive must assistance from their classroom teacher. 

This video gives a glimpse of how a bilingual ELL might receive information from their teacher about math, specifically math problems on standardized testing. It also demonstrates the frustrations classroom teachers face when helping an ELL. 

This video helped me understand my students better and I hope it will do the same for you. It is a must watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Y0HAjLKYI

What do you think? I would love to get comments about it. Let me know

-Marian 

Math Games

So often in the math classroom, it can be a challenge to create meaningful connections for students, and to find ways to fully engage students. It is great to have blogs such as this, with many people striving to create a better math class to teach in. For my post I would like to pose a question.

What do people think about internet math games in the classroom?

I have found many gaming websites that advertise themselves as math oriented. This is not to say that I don't agree, I am just curious as to whether other people use these websites, and if there is a place in the classroom for these games? From my teaching experience and a quick google search, it was easy to find multiple math gaming websites.

www.mathpractices.com
www.superteacherworksheets.com
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/
http://www.mathplayground.com/games.html
http://www.aplusmath.com/games/
http://www.coolmath-games.com

My opinion is that these games can have many great mathematical lessons in them, but often times students can bounce back and forth between games, and some will be interested in different games, so it could be a bit of a challenge to have a discussion about the math in the games. I have even given assignments in which I encourage students to play a math game on the internet they enjoy, and then to tell me the connection to math for each game. I found that often the students were not engaged in this discussion, and that they enjoyed playing the games, but weren't necessarily learning in terms of anything that is curriculum based. I am wondering what other people think on this topic, and maybe if someone with a bit more experience/knowledge would be able to help me out with a better application for these websites?

-Jamie

Hand Multiplication Facts

As a teacher I'm always trying to find thing that will help my students with their multiplication fact.  This is one such video:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL3PtlxYkZ4
I must admit that the video itself is very boring and slow, but the idea behind it is good.  This isn't something I would show a class right away when you are first teaching them their multiplication facts.  This is something that can be shown later in order to give the students a was of checking their work.

Math Camps

It's always exciting to meet and work with students who are not only talented in the area of mathematics, but have a genuine love for the subject. These are the students that challenge us to push them toward something bigger and deeper and foster their love for such a demanding subject. One challenge that these students often face is that they are alone when it comes to their fascination with math. This can create an isolation which can lead to abandonment of math altogether. OurKids has a website for a variety of math camps that we can promote to these special students where they will meet peers with common interests and will be able to practice and learn new math skills over March Break and summer. Check out the website below for more information!

http://www.camps.ca/math-camp.php

Math in the Real World

How many of us have heard a student say, "When will I ever use this in real life?" We will never admit it, but sometimes this question is a tricky one to answer. I came across a video that takes accounts of people in real careers and how some aspect of each of these careers uses math. This video not only talks about the importance of knowing math but that it is all around us in our everyday lives. Showing this video in class might inspire a student or two to keeping pushing and persevere through a subject that can be incredibly frustrating and one that often has a negative stigma attached to it. It is important that we develop positive attitudes toward mathematics, because if this idea is ignored, students with great potential in math may simply give up on it.

"Japanese" Multiplication

I found a really cool video with an alternate method of multiplication that I haven't seen in schools before. This method would greatly benefit visual-spatial learners or just those struggling with current multiplication methods in general. Check out the video here and let me know what you think! Some may suggest that it's more complicated than necessary once you get into two and three digit numbers, and this may be the case for some students, but for those looking for a different option, this is a great one!





Another method known as "lattice multiplication" is somewhat comparable to Japanese Multiplication. Check it out here!

Wolfram Alpha

So I recently found this website www.wolframalpha.com
It allows you to ask any math-based question and it'll solve it or explain the concept! It's geared more for advanced level math even university stuff.  It even gives graphs of functions and can sshow you step-by-step solutions if you sign up for a membership. Hope you like it as much as I do

Go on this page if you want to read through it too

http://www.facebook.com/l/xAQENh9uWAQHlK_X-KJ3GsuNNXAN1DaWSsMVCNmN0OA2aRQ/www.wolframalpha.com/about.html