The Language of Math Needs to Be Taught

Abstract

may be regarded as a symbolic language whose practical function is to express quantitative and spatial (Brown, 1953). Language also may be regarded as a code designed to express relationships, feelings, thinking, and objects in the environment. Math involves the understanding of spatial relationships and quantitative reasoning. These are inherent in the ability to calculate, but the core of comprehending and expressing mathematical relationships lies in the utilization of language, the words that give meaning to the ideas and symbols (Edwards, 1979). Problem solving for math is the task most often recognized as dependent on both reading and language competence. Language and vocabulary knowledge, however, are embedded in computation as well as in mathematical thought and performance. Mathematics is a bona fide second language with its own alphabet symbols, vocabulary, syntax, grammar and literature (Sharma, 1981). Yet where in our mathematics curriculum of today is the language of math specifically taught? Few seem to realize that proficiency in math, both for computation and problem solving,