Math vocabulary is often an overlooked, but integral part of developing strong mathematicians. Let’s just take a look at this real interaction with a student toward the end of our lesson on parallel lines:
“Which two lines in this diagram are parallel?”
*Head scratch* “What does parallel mean??”
The student couldn’t answer the question because they didn’t know what the word parallel meant even though they knew the concept of parallel. It got me thinking about the importance of building math vocabulary in the classroom.
Supporting students in building math vocabulary through explicit vocabulary instruction is an important part of growing their math learning. It provides them with a common language to communicate about their mathematical thinking (and we know how important math discourse is!).
Without this shared language, students have difficulty communicating and comprehending what is being asked of them.
You’re probably familiar with previewing vocabulary so you might be wondering if students need to know the math vocabulary before learning the related content. Well, yes and no. While previewing vocabulary is important, we don’t need students to master all the words before discussing math concepts.
Instead, as we are working through math content, I introduce the related vocabulary word and then encourage students to use the word. When students are learning these new words, they are practicing using them in context rather than in isolation and are more likely to learn them.
While vocabulary is clearly important, I’ll share one very important caveat: don’t teach keywords as a strategy for solving word problems. As I shared in a previous post, I used to teach keywords until I learned that they aren’t actually very helpful. *cringe* Lesson learned!
The activities and teacher moves I share below will support all students, but are also incredibly important for multilingual learners. Even multilingual learners who appear fluent in English need continued instruction in academic language. For example, a student may know the word “right” to mean correct or the direction opposite of left, but in math, the word “right” as it relates to angles has a very different meaning! Explicitly teaching vocabulary will greatly support your multilingual learners. Ok, let’s dig in!
Modeling Math Vocabulary
Teaching math vocabulary starts with us, the teachers. It’s important for us to model using the vocabulary words we want kids to be using. It gives students the opportunity to hear the word in context and reinforces the expectation of using math academic vocabulary.
In addition to just using the words we want students to learn, it’s also important to reinforce words that students are referring to. For example, if a student says “I counted the biggest coin first and then the smallest coin and got 35,” we can rephrase what they said but replace the vague language with the math vocabulary word we want them to use: “So are you saying that you first counted the quarter and then the dime to get 35 cents?” If you use this rephrasing move, you’ll also want to do some prompting to ensure students are also getting the opportunity to use the words themselves.
Prompting for Math Vocabulary
When students are responding to questions or having partner or small group discussions, they’ll often have to refer to math concepts but they may not always be able to recall the precise words they need to communicate effectively. Whether you do this proactively or reactively, prompting can be an effective strategy.
To be proactive, prompt students to use specific words during partner or group discussions. Say, “In a moment you’ll talk to your partner/group about (topic). When you are discussing, be sure to use the word (vocabulary word) in your explanation.” Prompting students in this way will help keep the vocabulary word at the forefront of their minds as they begin talking.
*Bonus points if you display the word you want them to use just in case they forget!
Sometimes even with the best proactive teaching strategies, students will still not use precise vocabulary. In this case, you can prompt students to rephrase their thought while using the vocabulary word. Let’s go back to my earlier example.
If a student says “I counted the biggest coin and then the smallest coin and got 35,” you might respond by saying, “Can you say that again but use the names of the coins you are talking about so we can really follow your thinking?” Students can then use any reference they have available to them to rephrase using that academic vocabulary. Speaking of references…
Math Vocabulary Notes
Now, when I say notes, I’m not talking about the kind of notes you took in high school. I just mean all the different ways you can have kids record the vocabulary words they have learned.
For writing, my students keep personal dictionaries. These dictionaries are nothing fancy and are actually just small spiral-bound pages that I assemble myself. In them, students write the words they are learning to spell so that they can reference them as they are writing. Of course, these don’t need to be their own notebooks, but can be index cards on rings, the back of their regular notebooks, or even stapled pages.
Math personal dictionaries are a little different than the ones we use in writing though because we aren’t super concerned with spelling, but with the connection of the word with the meaning. So instead of just writing words, I’ll have kids include a definition in their own words, a picture, an example, or some combination of those. Putting vocabulary into their own words helps students to internalize math vocabulary because in order to use their own words, they have to have a deeper understanding of them.
Math Vocabulary Word Walls
Similar to vocabulary notes, a word wall contains the words we want students to learn. Unlike word walls we might use for reading or writing, we want to make sure our math word walls also have a student-friendly definition and if appropriate, a picture. That way students do not have to try to recall the meaning of the word when they are trying to use precise language.
Having words up on the wall isn’t enough though! Many students won’t naturally use the word wall so they need to be taught how to use it as a reference. As the teacher, you should refer to it often, prompt students to refer to it when appropriate, and provide positive feedback when students use it, especially independently. When deciding what words to include on your word wall, consider the words required by your state standards as well as any additional words your math program includes.
Don’t worry, I’ve got your back on this one. If you’d like to start math word wall in your classroom, I have them available at each grade level K-6, and a bundle if you teach multiple grades. With visual representations and student-friendly definitions, the cards help students remember key vocabulary.
Math Vocabulary Word Walls
Internalize Math Vocabulary with Gestures
Multi-sensory instruction is really impactful! Adding gestures to the mix when teaching math vocabulary can help students to internalize the meaning of the words. In fact, years ago our art teacher had kids put their arms out like an airplane anytime he or someone else said the word “horizontal” and straight up and down when someone said “vertical.” He really needed kids to learn these words because of how often they came up in art class.
Every single year when we got to our geometry unit, the kids already knew what those two words meant and as soon as I began introducing horizontal and vertical lines, their arms started flying. I was so amazed at how well they knew the words and how engaged they were.
So, consider what other gestures you can use when introducing vocabulary words. There are so many ways we can incorporate gestures to help students learn important vocabulary words!
Math Vocabulary Games
Who doesn’t love games? Using games when teaching vocabulary can help to engage students while learning. Some of my favorites are memory, crossword puzzles, and charades. For memory, have kids match up a math vocabulary word and a definition. I’ve even had kids use the index cards they created for their words as cards. They can play independently or with others – it’s fun either way!
Crossword puzzles are easier to create than you might think. There are so many free crossword puzzle creators out there and all you have to do is type in the word and the clue and they create the puzzle for you. Easy!
Finally, remember the gestures we just talked about? Make them into a game of charades! This can be fun in small groups or as a whole class activity.
Do you have other favorite ways of building math vocabulary in the classroom? I’d love to hear them in the comments!
I enjoyed your article because I regularly utilized at least 4 of your strategies without giving it reasonable thought. Reading your explanations made me feel justified in my choices and gave me more insight on increasing the ways to implement these. I am a secondary mathematics teacher.