Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase

To children going to school for the first time, the symbols and the vocabulary of mathematics can resemble a foreign language with its seemingly cryptic symbols and unknown terminology. This is a challenge to foundation phase learners’ ability to read, write, and communicate clearly. It might be tha...

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Main Author: Carisma Nel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2012-12-01
Series:South African Journal of Childhood Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/10
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author Carisma Nel
author_facet Carisma Nel
author_sort Carisma Nel
collection DOAJ
description To children going to school for the first time, the symbols and the vocabulary of mathematics can resemble a foreign language with its seemingly cryptic symbols and unknown terminology. This is a challenge to foundation phase learners’ ability to read, write, and communicate clearly. It might be that problems of vocabulary are considered to be fairly superficial within the whole issue of language and mathematics learning, but it is nevertheless critical that such problems are not ignored in the hope that they will go away. Teachers must be purposeful in constructing learning experiences that direct learners’ attention to specific words and their meaning. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of including mathematics vocabulary code cracking as part of the pedagogical content knowledge, specifically the subdomains of knowledge of content and students, and knowledge of content and teaching, which should be addressed within foundation phase teacher preparation programmes.
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spelling doaj.art-2d0dd0fef6e74f3c983742708ab73aa82022-12-21T21:19:27ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Childhood Education2223-76742223-76822012-12-0122e1e2010.4102/sajce.v2i2.104Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation PhaseCarisma Nel0North West UniversityTo children going to school for the first time, the symbols and the vocabulary of mathematics can resemble a foreign language with its seemingly cryptic symbols and unknown terminology. This is a challenge to foundation phase learners’ ability to read, write, and communicate clearly. It might be that problems of vocabulary are considered to be fairly superficial within the whole issue of language and mathematics learning, but it is nevertheless critical that such problems are not ignored in the hope that they will go away. Teachers must be purposeful in constructing learning experiences that direct learners’ attention to specific words and their meaning. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of including mathematics vocabulary code cracking as part of the pedagogical content knowledge, specifically the subdomains of knowledge of content and students, and knowledge of content and teaching, which should be addressed within foundation phase teacher preparation programmes.https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/10mathematics, vocabulary, strategies, techniques, pedagogical content knowledge
spellingShingle Carisma Nel
Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase
South African Journal of Childhood Education
mathematics, vocabulary, strategies, techniques, pedagogical content knowledge
title Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase
title_full Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase
title_fullStr Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase
title_full_unstemmed Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase
title_short Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase
title_sort cracking the vocabulary code in mathematics in the foundation phase
topic mathematics, vocabulary, strategies, techniques, pedagogical content knowledge
url https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/10
work_keys_str_mv AT carismanel crackingthevocabularycodeinmathematicsinthefoundationphase