emse 5315 language exploration project
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Teaching Etymology in the Math Classroom
Coral KennedyEMSE 5315 Language Exploration ProjectDecember 15th, 2014
Rationale / Purpose
How many minutes do you think a math teacher spends teaching vocabulary?
Approximately _____ minutes of class 5
Teaching students vocabulary, etymology, and the parts of each word not only helps the students better understand the content, it also gives them a knowledge base that they can take into the “real world” and even apply to other classes and subjects.
Vocabulary
• Etymology - a chronological account of the birth and development of a particular word or element of a word, often delineating its spread from one language to another and its evolving changes in form and meaning
EnglishSubordinate
Latinordoorder
Englishco-
“together”
Coordinate“of the same rank”
Latinordinare
Vocabulary
un
• Root Word – central part of a word (holds key meaning)
reason
able
• Prefix – placed at the beginning of a word, modifies meaning
• Suffix – placed at the end of a word, modifies meaning
Literature Review
“When students know these roots, they can make connections between common English words with which they are familiar and mathematics terms.”
(Thompson, 573)
“Explaining the root meanings of the words we mathematicians use makes for a better understanding of the mathematics we teach .“
(Mulcrone, 184)
“Students who can apply this knowledge learn thousands and thousands of words in the time it takes most to learn a dozen words.”
(Lorcher, Effective)
Procedures
Pre-Instruction Assessment:• 10 Questions long• Define / Explain each math term• 10 – 15 minutes in the beginning of class
Instruction :• Posters• 10 – 15 minutes of reviewing the words on the
posters
Post-Instruction Assessment:• 10 Questions long• Define / Explain each math term• 10 – 15 minutes in the beginning of class
Class Posters
Class Posters
Class Posters
Pre-Instruction Assessment
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Note: Students were awarded half credit for some questions if their definition demonstrated a rudimen-
tary understanding.
1
0.5
0
Pre-Instruction Assessment
1. Acute Angle2. Nonlinear
Function3. Bisect4. Percent5. Decagon6. Polygon7. Divisor8. Quadrant9. Factor10.Geometry
Small angleI don’t knowI don’t know
%, out of 10010 sides, I don’t know
Shape, I don’t knowNumber you are dividing by
Box, I forgotNumbers, I forgot
Shapes, Math, I don’t know
Questions Student Responses
Post-Instruction Assessment
Inter
sect
Adden
d
Octago
n
Circum
feren
ce
Perim
eter
Equiva
lent
Fracti
on
Infinit
e
Diamete
r
Kilomete
r05
101520253035404550
10.50
Note: Students were awarded half credit for some questions if their definition demonstrated a rudimentary understanding
Post-Instruction Assessment
1. Intersect2. Addend3. Octagon4. Circumference5. Perimeter6. Equivalent7. Fraction8. Infinite9. Diameter10.Kilometer
To cut through, to cut acrossA number added to another
8 sided shapeAround a circle
Distance around a shape, measure around
Things that are equal, equalPart of a whole
Not ending, never stoppingMeasure across
A thousand meters, a thousand measures
Questions Student Responses
Sample
Conclusions
Does teaching the etymology and word parts of common math vocabulary increase student comprehension?
“It is right and reasonable to hope that kids can have a lifelong engagement with at least one, hopefully several fields of knowledge- and that they’ll pursue it through reading, for years to come .”
(Daniels, 11)
Resources
Daniels, H., & Zemelman, D. (n.d.). Subjects matter: Exceeding standards through powerful content-area reading. 11-11.
etymology. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 13, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/etymology Mulcrone, T. (1958). Teaching The Etymology Of Mathematical Terms. The Mathematics Teacher, 51(3), 184-190. Lorcher, T. (2012, January 17). Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middle-school-english-lessons/6995-effective-strategies-for-teaching-vocabulary/ Thompson, D., & Rubenstein, R. (2000). Learning Mathematics Vocabulary: Potential Pitfalls and Instructional Strategies. Mathematics Teacher, 93(7), 573. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.erusd.k12.ca.us/projectalphaweb/index_files/MP/Learning Mathematics Vocabulary.pdf
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