What is math? It's a language ... which means it has words ... math words!!!

And math words, well they get little respect from students ☹️😔🥺🥲🥹!

Before I get to math being a language and its words getting little respect from students. I’ll start with this:

Here’s a tip on how to help your child with math w/o you knowing any math.

This ‘help without knowing’ first demands that you understand what math is. Ask your child this, “My child what is math?” or perhaps ask yourself the same question, and I’d say what you both come up with should be different but will be somewhat the same and sound something like, ‘Well, umm, Math is something to do with numbers.’  

Answers, of course, will vary depending on age and expertise, but the answer, math is about numbers has some merit. However, that’s like me saying the English language has something to do with letters of the alphabet - true, but not the whole story!

So, what is math?

Math is a language! Math is a language! Math is a language!

There I said it! Yup it’s a language not that different from English or Spanish or French or German. Tell your child that and look at their facial reactions and how they respond – a quizzical look or a ‘What are you talking about parent?’ Or if they disagree, then get comfortable as that’s the start of a tete-a-tete with you and your child. But to prepare you for that possible conversation, I first need you to get where I’m coming from when I say, ‘Math is a language.’ Let the games begin!

First, let me address the elephant in the room that’s never ever spoken about in math, he number one reason why students struggle in math? Students

do not understand what the math words mean! And if you’re beginning to think of math as a language, then that reason makes 100% sense.

Let’s address the elephant in the room …

Let me explain: If you ask your child what the math word, add, means or give its definition, the odds are they will say, plus. But plus is a synonym of add, not its meaning. Yes, students will of course know that two added to three is five (2 + 3 = 5), but why is, ‘What’s the definition of add, a struggle? And I go further that this is just the tip of the iceberg, as most students do not know what math words mean. Math words don’t zero respect ☹️😔🥺🥲🥹!

If that happened in any other language, there’d be a revolt, an uprising, questioning why our kids can’t speak, read, write, or learn English! But for some reason, that discontent does not cross over to math; it’s like it’s become the acceptable norm. If your child does not know what math words mean, they cannot speak math! If they cannot speak it, they will not understand what their math teacher speaks or writes in class! That’s like a teacher telling me, ‘Edison, one added to two is three’, in German – I wouldn't have a clue what they were yammering on about.

Of course, English or any language has a massive edge over math as your child hears it, sees it, speaks it, reads it, and thinks it every instant of every day. Whereas math is confined and relegated to only the math classroom and doing homework – that’s a foolproof recipe that sadly guarantees making math hard, and creates the ever-popular statement, “Math is hard’ and the question, ‘Why do I need math?’ … and that’s a cry for help ☹️😔🥺🥲🥹. But then we blame the students for not working hard enough …

Math has math words,

… and those words must be understood. Math words like, Fraction and Decimal, Evaluate, Add and Subtract, Multiply, Area and Solve, but I’d hazard an educated guess that if you ask your child what any of those words mean, they’ll either tell you a synonym (e.g. subtract means minus, multiply means times) or give its symbol or make a picture of it. Help your child with math w/o you knowing math only works if the meaning or definition of each math word is understood – that’s the foundation! And isn't the meaning of words the basics for any language?

Math teacher: 'Today we will Evaluate Numerical Expressions

If your child’s teacher, at the start of class says, ‘Today we will Evaluate Numerical Expressions,’ could your child tell you the meaning or definition of each of the three math words spoken, Evaluate, Numerical, Expressions?

My point is, start treating math like a language, and then it becomes apparent where to direct your parent energies and help. Literacy in any language starts with knowing the meaning of words. Math works the same way. FYI, to me speaking German is very hard … and perhaps it’s probably because a) I don’t know any German words* and b) don’t know what they mean 😄🥹. *Actually, I know one … Danke 😄🥹!

How can you use all of this to help your child?

1. Ensure they write meanings for math words taught in class. Record on cue cards or create their own math dictionary on their phone or computer, though I’m sure they can come up with their own solution.
   

2. Where to get meanings? Their teacher, glossary at back of textbook, classmate, parent, the internet (e.g. dictionary). But wherever they get it from, what is most important is that it makes sense to them. Otherwise, it’s a waste of their time and again undermines their ability to get math.
   I’ve had grade 8 students go online for the word fraction and what comes back is correct, but only makes sense to a grade 11 student:

   A fraction is a rational number, a/b, where ‘a’ and ‘b’ are whole numbers and ‘b’ cannot be zero - correct, but at the grade 8 level you want them to be thinking of splitting into equal parts, as in one-third (1/3) of a pizza.

3. If they’ve been taught Fractions and Percents in class today, ask them, ‘What does fraction mean? What does percent mean? And you’re looking for a definition that would 1) Make sense to you and 2) In a phone call (so no pictures). They will soon get a wee bit of insight that not understanding math words is a fundamental reason for their math frustrations … and they will thank you for this … at some point … in their lives. Yay!
   

4. After understanding word meanings, then stringing together a bunch of them is next; remember math is a language! And the stringing doesn’t have to be complicated, heck you want your child to keep it simple, “Fractions can be converted to Percents’ is a hooray! ‘A percent is a fraction where the denominator is a 100’ gets a fist-bump. “I’m going to ask for a ten-percent increase in allowance’ gets your attention 😀😃😄😁😆😅.

The good news?

Many of the math meanings your child will record will come up again next year and the year after and … in future math courses. That's crucial to know, as learning it now also prepares them for the future. So, yeah, there’s an urgency in getting this started today.

And later should they do Calculus, they’ll be able to look you in the eye and say,

‘Hey parent, in Calculus today I learned Derivatives, and it has something to do with Slope, and Slope has something to do with Rate, and Rate has something to do with a Fraction. Yup the same fractions I learned 5 years ago and you asked me the meaning of!” “Thanks parent!!’ should then follow shortly thereafter 😀😃😄😁😆😅!

That would be jaw-dropping on so many levels – you’d have a parent-child bond, over math! Now that’d be an unexpected twist in math!

Math is a language, and just like the English language it has words, math words!!

Parent: Know your math word meanings my child … and your time in math will be a happier one.

Strategies to use when the usual isn’t working,
Edison

Edison Hopkinson BSc Mech Eng, B.Ed., OCT
Math Learning Strategist