An important focus of our work has been increasing students understanding and use of mathematical language. We move from common, everyday language to technical, mathematical language i.e. ‘and’ to ‘addition’. Providing students with a repertoire of mathematical terms and language choices that are interchangeable increases confidence and learning outcomes. Students with strong understanding of mathematical language are able to interact in a number of settings and across the curriculum. It is an undeniable component of the genre of testing as word problems are an integral part of NAPLAN and PATMaths assessments. We need to provide our students access to the language of Mathematics so as not to disadvantage them.
