Imagine this: You’re in a foreign country and you walk around
listening to the locals talk to one another in their native tongue. They all
act like it’s easy and like they actually enjoy it! You just stand
there….dumbfounded….. overwhelmed…. and lost. Then they try to talk to you!
They want you to engage with this language too? Oh no, not going to happen. You
get that “deer in the headlights” look, you start to sweat, and you feel so
embarrassed and uncomfortable because you can’t understand what you’re hearing.
Unfortunately, a scenario similar to this one is all too familiar
for some learners. This is how some feel when they look at a sheet of
paper with a math problem on it or when they are sitting in the classroom and
their teacher is going on about everything from addition to the z-intercept.
In a recent study conducted by the Stanford University
School of Medicine, brain scans of children with high levels of math anxiety
“showed activation in the brain’s fear circuits and so-called “fear center”, or
amygdala”, while solving math problems. This same study however, found that
through effective math tutoring, in which students are repeatedly exposed in a
safe environment to the thing they fear, this math anxiety can be ameliorated.
These findings provide valuable insight into how math tutoring and
instruction can do more than provide coping skills for learners with math
anxiety. Proper instruction can actually deactivate the fear circuits and
activity in the amygdala, making children feel more capable and confident when
attempting to speak this foreign language we call math.
Therefore, it is important that when beginning to navigate this
new language, that one has a reliable teacher and translator, one well
traversed in the art of the language and who has been walking the walk and
talking the talk for years. Enter Dr. Anita Long.
Dr. Long, who has worked as a math professor, instructor, and
coordinator in schools throughout the State of Vermont for more than 25 years,
is bilingual. Here she demonstrates her fluency in the understanding and
teaching of math by providing us with her top 8 tips when helping learners
actively and positively learn “Mathenese”.
1. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE: Languages, in the traditional sense,
consist of words that are made up of letters. Math is no different. Math
problems are made up of numbers and symbols that also need to be deciphered and
understood. It is helpful to explain to students that just like they must
practice scales when playing an instrument or practice how to dribble a ball in
soccer, they also must practice math. No one is perfect when they first start
out!
2. ACT EARLY: Expose learners to math early and often because the
more exposure they get, the less foreign it will seem. It is vital to talk to
children about numbers, shapes, and concept words such as bigger, smaller, less than, equal too, etc. There is a specific math vocabulary to
build up! If they are used to hearing it, they will become more comfortable
with math and less likely to associate it with anxiety.
3. TALK POSITIVELY!: Avoid using discouraging or math disparaging
language. Hearing one's parents or other role models say things like, “I can’t
help you because I am bad at math too” or “I have always hated math!” can have
a substantially negative psychological impact on children and their
attitude towards math. On the other hand, adults should also avoid saying
things like, “Oh come on, you can do this. It’s not that hard.” Comments like
that can cause children to feel ashamed or afraid of math.
4. UNDERSTAND THEIR PACE: Be aware that every learner has their own
pace at which they understand and approach math. Some individuals are able to
easily perform mental math while others need extra time to construct a thought
process that makes sense to them. Rushing a learner into an answer will only
cause heightened anxiety.
5. ENCOURAGE THEM: Consistently encourage them to take chances.
Prompt them to come up with solutions on their own without fear of failure. Ask
questions like, “Well what do you think?” or, “Let’s look at that together.”
Making them feel comfortable trying will give them the confidence to take on
challenges and overcome their math anxiety.
6. MAKE IT FUN: There are plenty of great ways to incorporate math
into your everyday routine and make it a game! Examples include:
A. When you’re in the car play a more math focused version of iSpy!
You can say things like, “I spy something that is a triangle!”
B. Use music to expose children to math. “The Wheels on the Bus” and
"Five Little Monkeys" are great examples of math friendly songs!
C. Regular games can be used as opportunities to teach math skills
too, such as games that involve the use of dice or a deck of cards. Board games
are an opportunity to prompt learners by saying things like, “Daddy is ahead of
you on the board. How many spaces would you need to go to catch up with him?”
7. MAKE IT APPLICABLE: Many children in school at one point or
another may think, “Why do I have to learn this? It is not like I will ever use
this in real life.” That is why it is important to show learners all the ways
in which math is applicable to their life. Take advantage of everyday
situations that show them math’s usefulness. For example, make a game out of
guessing how much change you will get back when you buy something at the store,
figure out how many miles to the gallon your car gets the next time your
learner is with you when you fill up the tank, or prompt them with questions
regarding time, such as, “Grandma is coming for dinner at 6 p.m. and it is 1
p.m. now. How many hours till Grandma gets here?”
8. CATER TO THEIR LEARNING STRENGTHS: Every learner is different and
not all learners should be taught math in the same exact “cookie cutter” way.
If they are a visual learner, have them draw a picture they see in their mind
when addressing a certain math problem. If they are a learner who prefers
words, contextualize the math problem by creating a story and use words to
describe the sequence of numerical events.
We hope
that you found these tips helpful and wish you well on your journey to help your little learner discover their own love of math within!
Written by Stern Center Staff: Dr. Anita Long and Allison Provost
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