COMMUNICATION IN

MATHEMATICS WITH PICTURES,

WORDS, AND SYMBOLS .

Bill Crombie
Director of Professional Development
The Algebra Project
February 7, 2014
 Abstract
Communication is often only implicit in attempts
to learn what students know. The only evidence
we have access to from formative assessments
is evidence that students are able to
communicate. In this webinar we will examine
how the Math Challenges support and develop
students’ ability to communicate mathematics
to the teacher, to other students, and to
themselves.
Poll: Gauging Familiarity of
Math Challenges
 How familiar with Math Challenges are you?
 Very familiar
 Somewhat familiar
 Neither familiar nor unfamiliar
 Somewhat unfamiliar
 Not at all familiar

 How often do you use Math Challenges in your classrooms?

 Often
 Sometimes
 Never

Tell me more about your experience

 What are Math Challenges
4

 Tool that provides teachers, grade K-8, with high

quality tasks that yield formative information about
student understanding.

 With regular use, students receive regular exposure

and experience engaging with high quality
assessments.

 Aligns to Common Core State Standards.

3/11/2015
Theory of Action
Mathematics Challenge Teacher Outcomes
Components
Content
High-quality classroom tasks 1 knowledge for
that: teaching 3
Provide formative increases
information about student
understanding
Teachers Teachers
Are aligned with the
gather better facilitate/
Common Core State Standards
quality differentiate
Are curriculum independent 2 4
evidence of learning based
Use appropriate real-world student on student
situations and applications
understanding needs
Emphasize conceptual
understanding, communication, 5
6
and problem-solving and
higher-order thinking skills

Student Improved
Teaching and learning
engagement/ student
considerations provide guidance 7 8
for moving student learning time on task learning of
forward on each standard and increases mathematical
task content
9
Scoring information, rubrics, 10
and sample student work

On-going monthly meetings Increased

supported by meeting agendas perseverance
and guiding questions that help
Student Outcomes (intrinsic
teachers to plan for the use of the
motivation)
assessments, adjust instruction
based on elicited evidence, and in mathematics
trouble shoot with colleagues
 Anatomy of a math challenge
Six-Step Math Challenge Process
 Planning
 Step 1: Review Math Challenge Meeting
Protocol
 Step 2: Review and solve Math Challenge
prior to your PLC Meeting
 Step 3: Hold PLC meeting and discuss
responses to guiding questions on the
Meeting Protocol
 Implementation
 Step 4: Implement Math Challenge in
classroom
 Analysis and Reflection
 Step 5: Respond to guiding questions on the
Analyzing Student Responses Protocol
 Step 6: Complete Math Challenge
Feedback Log
 List of Math Challenges
Common Core Mathematics Challenges

Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 8

A Trip to Shape A Map of Shape At the Nature Biking with Field Trip to the Pythagorean
Town Town Candy Fractions Center Building Numbers Fractions Zoo Theorem

Everyday
At the Nature patterns in Designing the Field Trip to the
Boxes of Rocks Center Quilt Squares Algebra Flag Zoo

Everyday
The State Animals Baking Up The Pond and the Field Trip to the Patterns in
of Tennessee Fractions Field Zoo Algebra Next to Nothing

Cookies at the School Garden Field Trip to the Planning

Bakery Voting at the Zoo in Order Zoo Coordinate City
The
Field Trip to the Rectangular Quadrilateral
Zoo Shady Fractions Gardens Community

School Garden in
Pencil Measures Tile Squares Order

What’s in Your
Desk Drawer
Pictures, Words, and Symbols in the Classroom

 What do you do in your classroom with

pictures, words, and symbols when
teaching math?

 What would you like to happen in your

classroom with pictures, words, and
symbols in math?
 Symbols for Concepts: Basics
Here is an example of symbols that Richard Skemp uses in his book, The
Psychology of Mathematics . The symbols are similar to mathematical symbols in
that each symbol represents a specific idea.
Symbols for Concepts: Examples
Here are a few examples of how the symbols work together.
 Symbols for Concepts
What is the meaning of the symbols given below? Note: the symbol (( ))
means plural.
 Fraction Example

3
4
 In the classroom what are the different ways that
you read this symbol?
 What are the different meanings for this
mathematical symbol?
 Fraction Example

3
4
 3 over 4
 3 parts out of 4 parts
 3 compared to 4
 3 measured by 4
 3 for every 4
 multiplication by 3, division by 4
Mathematicians have a habit, which is puzzling to
those engaged in tracing out meanings, but is very
convenient in practice, of using the same symbol in
different though allied senses. The one essential
requisite for a symbol in their eyes is that,
whatever its possible varieties of meaning, the
formal laws for its use shall always be the same.

An Introduction to Mathematics
Alfred North Whitehead
Concepts Symbols Relations

O O Unique concept & symbol

O O One concept
for many symbols
O (synonym)

O O Many concepts
for one symbol
O (homonym)
Spelling-Pronunciation Reading

Context

interpretation
Word Meaning

decoding

Symbol
Interpretive Reading of Mathematical Symbols

Context

encoding
Word Meaning

interpretation

Symbol
Types of Representation

 Enactive (Manipulative)

 Iconic (Pictorial)

 Diagrammatic (Geometric)

 Symbolic (Algebraic)
By the aid of symbolism we can make transitions in
reasoning almost mechanically by the eye, which
otherwise would call into play the higher facilities
of the brain. … It is a profoundly erroneous truism
that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of
what we are doing. The precise opposite is the
case. Civilization advances by extending the number
of operations which we can perform without thinking
about them.
An Introduction to Mathematics
Alfred North Whitehead
 A Mathematics Challenge:
Cookies at the Bakery (Grade 1)
 Learning Cycle

Try it

Practice it Think about it

Improve it
Experiential Learning Cycle

Concrete Event

Application Reflection

Abstract Concept  Piaget

 Lewin
 Kolb
 5 Step Curricular Process

Concrete Event

Application Reflection

 Picture
 People-Talk
 Feature
Abstract Concept Identification
 Feature –Talk
 Iconic
Representation
 Symbolic
Representation
 5 Step Curricular Process

1. Concrete Event
2. Picture
3. People Talk
4. Feature Talk
5. Iconic & Abstract Symbolic
Representation
 The Feature-Talk Solution

 Feature-Talk is a device to connect the ordinary

discourse of students to the symbolic representations
of mathematics.

 Feature-Talk gives a voice to the sense-making that

students are engaged in.

 Feature-Talk is an explicit regimentation of ordinary

discourse. It is how we express “these ideas” in
mathematics.
 Discussion

 What are some points you would like to discuss

more?

 What are some issues that you are currently

working on?
 Other Math Challenge
Developments
 ETS is developing new elementary school Math
Challenges
 ETS is conducting more research around effective
ways for teachers to use Math Challenges
 Please let us know if you are interested in participating
in our research
 ETS is working on translating Math Challenges into
different languages and creating an online version
 Resources
 Skemp, R. (1986). The Psychology of Learning
Mathematics. New York: Penguin Books.
 Skemp, R., (2006) Relational Understanding and
Instrumental Understanding, Mathematics Teaching in
Middle School, Vol. 12, No .2, pp. 88 – 95.
 Web Resources
 The Algebra Project
http://www.algewbra.org/

 The Young People’s Project:

http://www.typp.org/

 http://www.algebra.org/curriculum
You can register free and create a login. At present the
site only contains the high school curriculum.