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Getting it right
Many students think that being good at math means simply getting the right answers. Unfortunately,
many teachers approach math from that frame of mind, as well.
Truly being good at math, though, involves much more than getting the right answer. Being "good at math"
involves developing good math comprehension: knowing what a math problem is telling you.
When we remove the focus on getting the right answer in math, we can help students focus on developing
their ability to understand math when they "read" it.
Removing the emphasis on getting the right answer can be a simple as giving each child a card with
a math sentence on it (including the right answer), and asking them to demonstrate that math
sentence, choosing from an assortment of manipulatives and or/ the white board. Students can also
practice translating a math problem into a variety of different formats. As an example, "64 divided
by 8 equals 8" can be written as a long division problem, a fraction or re-formatted as a
multiplication problem, just to name a few.
As my 11 year old son pointed out, it is also important to discuss when each way of writing the
problem is the most helpful to use. This kind of practice can be useful for students in algebra
class, as well as those just beginning to learn basic math operations. For example, a student just
learning addition may tell you that 3+8=11 can also be written 8+3=11, and that he likes to write it
with the big number first, so he can more easily count with fingers when he adds. A student in
algebra may tell you that he can re-group the same math sentence to read 8=11-3, and that this is
important to him because he may need to do this to solve for x if one of the numbers was x instead.
Groups of students can also practice this skill by playing "scatergories" with the math sentence you
give them; their goal is to find a way to re-write the math sentence that no one else in their group
will think of.
My son also suggested a creative approach to target students with a variety of learning styles.
Students could be given a group assignment to think of as many ways to represent a math sentence as
they can, then present it to the class in a creative way: sing it to a familiar tune, make a mural of
it, act it out as "human manipulatives"…
Another simple way to remove the focus on right answers is to ask a question like this: "Here's the
math problem, here's the right answer, now show my work." Suddenly you are testing students solely
on their ability to "think in math", not on their ability to get the right answer.
Through all levels of learning about math, students and teachers need to take breaks from focusing
on getting right answers to focusing on understanding. This is especially true of students who have
learning differences. Some students can understand math processes, but are sloppy with computation.
Others struggle to put the math sentences in order; this disorganization results in wrong answers,
but may also mask a lack of understanding the over-arching organization of math. Some students struggle
to "work backwards", and may not see 5+12 and 12+5 as the same sum. Other students struggle with the
new symbols math brings them; each new way of writing a math problem is learned in isolation, with no
connections to the other ways of doing the same problem.
For all of these students, taking away the search for the right answer can give the student and the
teacher clues to where the biggest struggles are in becoming "good at math". Students who may appear
to be poor at math when right answers are important, may suddenly find they have more abilities than
they thought. Teachers and students alike may find the place where math suddenly stops making sense
to a student. Once that specific area is found, it is much easier to clear up the confusion. Both
students and teachers may find that taking occasional breaks from focusing on right answers helps
them both to teach and to learn math from a fresh perspective.
References:
Garnett, Ph.D., Kate. "Math Learning Disabilities." Division for Learning Disabilities Journal of CEC
(1998).
Gersten, Russell and Chard, David. "Number Sense: Rethinking Arithmetic Instruction for Students with
Mathematical Disabilities." Journal of Special Education (1999).
Wright, Christina. "Learning Disabilities in Mathematics." LD Online, (1996)
ABOUT THIS COLUMN
SERCH is excited to bring you a new monthly column that focuses on children with disabilities and the
math/science curriculum. Children are all different; children with disabilities may have learning
differences that require a re-thinking of the usual methods of teaching science and math. But children
with disabilities can grow up to get higher education and hold jobs in science in science and math fields.
This column is dedicated to the proposition that success in science and math is possible, and is dedicated to
making that success possible by helping parents and school staff learn about the many ways to achieve learning
for students with disabilities.
This column is written by Robin Hurd, who is a mother of 4 boys, ages 13, 11 and 8 year old twins. The
combination of disabilities at her house includes non-verbal physical impairments, sensory issues, Autistic
spectrum disorder, Tourettes syndrome, auditory processing disorder, anxiety disorder as well as talented and
gifted. In spite of this list, Robin, David and the boys enjoy life and learning to the fullest! Robin serves
as parent support liaison for the AAC Institute, a non-profit organization supporting people who communicate
using alternatives to speech. She writes a monthly column for parents at the AAC Institute, moderates a
parents' on-line group, and is available for support to individual parents. If you would like to contact
Robin about this column, you may e-mail her at
parents@aacinstitute.org.
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