Edutopia: How to Deepen Math Learning With Word Sorts

 Edutopia: How to Deepen Math Learning With Word Sorts

    I came across this article while browsing Edutopia and it caught my eye because I am always trying to incorporate different subjects into each other.  It is important to me that the students understand that you use different information at all times, in this case, English is found in math.  

    In this article, Hoa P. Nguyen, discusses how simple vocabulary word games can support student learning in math classes.  The examples Nguyen provides are sorting words such as centimeter, millimeter, kilometer; hour, second, year; or rhombus, square, parallelogram, etc.  The students can use open sorts, which allows them to describe how they are similar, or they can use closed sorts, in which the teacher determines the categories.  

    Another strategy would be participating in group discussions using vocabulary words.  The teacher can provide sentence stems to support the students' use of the vocabulary.  Using the common language and the practice of incorporating vocabulary learning in all subject areas will support students, especially ELL students.  

    I recommend this article to all educators.