Math CCSS Sessions October 2014 Using the Math Word Problem Genre and Academic Conversations to Help Students Solve Word Problems

The California ELD Standards Part I: Interacting in Meaningful Ways Part II: Learning About How English Works I A. 1 Collaborative: Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative conversations on a range of social and academic topics. II A. 1 Structuring Cohesive Texts: Apply understanding of how text types are organized to comprehending and composing texts.

Building Academic Conversations Rare Occasional Frequent

Math Word Problems as a Genre Math word problems are their own genre. A genre is a category of texts that shares a particular social purpose, structure, and set of language features. 4. Cara and her father are at the grocery store…

Math Word Problems as a Genre What is the purpose of math word problems? In other words, why do textbook publishers and others include math word problems in their curricula? Jot down your ideas. 4. Cara and her father are at the grocery store…

Math Word Problems as a Genre Share your ideas with your partner. Create a new statement of purpose based on both your ideas. Be prepared to share your purpose in the event that you are called upon. The purpose for having students solve math word problems is … Having students solve math word problem serves to … Academic Conversation

Math Word Problems as a Genre Word problems are their own genre. A genre is a category of texts that shares particular social purpose, structure, and set of language features. 4. Cara and her father are at the grocery store…

Review the samples of word problems provided What do you notice about their structure and language features STRUCTURELanguage Features BeginningMiddleEnd Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Math Word Problems as a Genre

Word Problems as a genre- inquiry approach Word problems are their own genre. Review the samples of word problems provided. What do you notice about the structure, context, and language features that they share or mostly share? STRUCTURELanguage Features BeginningMiddleEnd Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Word Problems as a genre- inquiry approach Word problems are their own genre Review the samples of word problems provided What do you notice about the structure, context, and language features that they share or mostly share? STRUCTURELanguage Features (vocab, verb tenses, POV, etc.) BeginningMiddleEnd Sample 1ScenarioVital math info Question to be solved Sample 2ScenarioVital math info Question to be solved Sample 3ScenarioVital math info Question to be solved

Math Word Problems as a Genre-- Mapping the Text Structure ScenarioMath InformationQuestion(s)/Task Model Equation(s)

Math Word Problems as a Genre Most word problems have similar characteristics that can be learned and anticipated, thus making them easier to understand/comprehend However, very few works have all the characteristics of the genre in which they belong. 1. Cara and her father are at the grocery store…

Math Word Problems as a Genre Taking Them Apart at the Sentence Level Characteristics of math word problems Lexically dense text Long phrases and clauses Students may not recognize the math in word problems Chunking words and determining function: Who is doing an action? with what, why, how and where: To prepare an aquarium for use, you can clean it with a saltwater solution. You can clean an aquarium with saltwater solution to prepare it for use WHO ACTION WHAT HOW WHY

Expectations for Academic Conversations

Structuring Academic Conversations Create a physical environment that supports student interaction Establish partners and small groups Provide role or jobs Require preparedness Chunk the activity so that you’re touching bases with the students during the conversation

Create Outcomes for Academic Conversations Be ready to share! Examples: Students must have a joint response formed (oral or written) Students must each have a response formed (oral or written) Students must have an approach to solving a problem Students must have an answer to a problem

Partners Solve Word Problems– An Example Be prepared to talk: Read the problem to yourself two times. Partner A: be prepared to tell Partner B about the scenario. In other words, What’s going on here? Partner B: be prepared to tell Partner A what the pertinent math information is. Together decide on a model– a table, sketch, or some other visual that will help you with your calculations. Academic Conversation

Partners Solve Word Problems– An Example (cont.) Each partner brings writes down a calculation for the approach they would take to solve the problem. Partner B shares first, then Partner A. If the approaches are different, partners discuss and then decide which one to use. Solve. Be prepared to share your organizer on the document camera. Assign component of the organizer to each partner. Academic Conversation

We discussed two ways to help students solve math word problems: 1.Have them explore and name the features of the math word problem genre and use an organizer of the structure to support them 2.Have them engage in academic conversations in order to work out problems in an active way and use the ideas of others’ to help build and consolidate their understanding