Strengthen Students' Written and Oral Communication Skills in MATHEMATICS

(Grades 6-12)

Presented by Beatrice Moore
Outstanding Secondary Math Teacher and National Presenter

Specially Designed for Educators Serving Grades 6-12: Middle School Mathematics Teachers, High School Mathematics Teachers, Math Interventionists/Specialists, Special Education Staff, Instructional Aides, and Administrators

Dozens of practical strategies to build students’ oral and written communication skills in grades 6-12 mathematics
Research-based techniques to develop students’ content vocabulary and conceptual understanding of mathematics
Practical, classroom-proven writing activities that prepare secondary students for performance-based assessments that include significant writing tasks
Highly effective tools to increase students’ opportunities to write and speak about mathematics in ways they actually enjoy!

Practical Ideas and Strategies

Higher standards in mathematics require students to communicate their understanding of concepts, skills and applications of mathematics in a variety of ways through verbal, written and algebraic visual representations. These rigorous standards have placed equal balance on developing students’ communication skills to demonstrate understanding as well as their knowledge of procedures and algorithms in secondary mathematics. Increasing students’ ability to provide oral and written evidence of their mathematics reasoning need to be an integral part of the daily instruction of mathematics.

In this fast-paced seminar, Beatrice Moore, an award-winning secondary math teacher, will share a wealth of ideas and strategies for teaching the critical communication skills your students need in secondary mathematics. Communication in math, both orally and in writing are activities that take time, and for that reason they are often neglected in mathematics, but the benefits of discussion and writing greatly outweigh the limits. Speaking and writing in mathematics help students organize their thoughts, clarify their thinking and significantly bolster their success – both in learning mathematics and in demonstrating their learning on standardized assessments.

Join Bea for an active, worthwhile day filled with powerful, easy-to-use, timesaving techniques to develop students’ essential speaking and writing skills in math that will appreciably strengthen their math achievement.

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

Learn About Teaching Discussion and Writing Skills in Math from a Secondary Mathematics Teacher
Take advantage of the unique opportunity to learn from an award-winning secondary math teacher who knows the oral and written communication skills secondary students need to master … Tips, tools and proven techniques that work!
Focus on the Writing and Speaking Skills Your Students Need Most
Discover dozens of highly effective techniques to teach your secondary math students the critical communication skills they need to succeed … How to build students’ confidence in speaking and writing about mathematics in ways they will enjoy!
Discover Timesaving Writing Techniques that Yield Impressive Results
See significant student progress in writing by taking less than 10 minutes a day to teach writing skills … Discover how the ability to clarify and organize thoughts for writing significantly improves mastery in mathematics
Implement a Variety of Effective Discussion and Writing Activities in Math
Look at a mix of proven discussion and writing activities designed for secondary math classes … Quick talks, quick writes, partner writes and small group activities that build students’ skills and boost their confidence to communicate in mathematics
Acquire Valuable Data from Students’ Communications in Mathematics
Writing often reveals gaps in student learning that can help you intervene in a timely way … Discover specific, easy-to-use strategies for using written diagnostic assessments
Use “Math Talks” and Writing to Support Differentiation of Instruction in Math
Discover highly effective ways to use oral and written activities to address the diverse needs of students in your math classes … How to tailor discussions and writing assignments in ways that support students who struggle and challenge those who are ready for more
Increase Time-on-Task and Retention Through Speaking and Writing
Explore the value-added results of teaching students how to discuss and write about mathematics … See how these skills can provide quick, varied instructional activities that bolster student learning
Use Speaking and Writing to Develop Fluency with Mathematics Content
State standards require students to be fluent speakers and writers of the mathematics they are learning and use those literacy skills to convey understanding of a variety of conceptual and procedural applications … Discover literacy building activities that support this linkage in ways that bring more meaning to mathematics for your students
Enhance Student Performance on Standards-Based Assessments
Tap into a variety of strategies for daily speaking and writing in math that build students’ capacity for success on summative performance tasks … Techniques that develop students’ understanding and confidence to meet the demands of varied writing tasks
Build Student Confidence as Problem Solvers
See how discussion techniques and writing activities boost students’ abilities to think mathematically, solve problems and justify their thinking … Receive a variety of effective oral and written communication strategies that support reflective thinking, appropriate classroom discourse and reasoning

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

Dozens of highly effective techniques for teaching critical speaking and writing skills secondary students need in mathematics
Proven strategies to build students’ confidence in speaking and writing about math in ways they will enjoy
How to use daily speaking and writing activities to enhance students’ performance on standards-based assessments
Effective and engaging oral and written tasks that require 10 minutes or less of your valuable instructional time
Specific ideas for interactive mathematics notebooks to support writing in mathematics
Summarization strategies that support reasoning and sense-making abilities in mathematics
How to use quick talks and quick writes, partner writes and small group discussion and cooperative writing to build students’ math skills
Useful tips for providing structure to students who lack organizational skills needed to communicate their reasoning
Specific, easy-to-use strategies for using oral and written diagnostic assessments in your math classes
Research-based strategies to support content vocabulary development
How to use graphic organizers to support prewriting activities
Proven ways to use “math talks” and writing activities to address the diverse needs of secondary math students
Unique ways to increase time-on-task and retention through discussion and writing
How to use structured discussion and writing to make math instruction more relevant to your students
Ready-to-use strategies for problem solving that not only require students to present answers but also to explain their reasoning

A Message From Your Seminar Leader

Dear Colleague:

Prepare to see tremendous benefits in student performance from the incorporation of focused “math talks” and writing in your secondary mathematics classroom. This seminar has been thoughtfully developed by me, a secondary mathematics teacher, with you and our students in mind!

Communication in mathematics, particularly writing, has become significantly important with the new state standards and their emphasis on students’ ability to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts, skills and applications of mathematics. It is no longer possible for our students to simply know how to solve problems. In addition, they need to be able to logically and coherently discuss and explain in writing how and why they reached their solution. Very few students have the skills to do this, so as secondary mathematics teachers it is our responsibility to teach them these critical communication skills. The best way to do that is to ensure that we also teach them how to speak and write about mathematics.

Communicating in mathematics is a win-win for both teachers and students and it is well worth the effort. I have seen my students make significant gains in understanding mathematics by learning to speak and write about it. Their performance on state summative assessments has notably improved and their ability to discuss mathematics and understand the procedures, algorithms and problem solving skills they need to know has skyrocketed. In addition, the quick, frequent writing tasks my students do in class give me the data I need for planning my instruction and identifying which students need additional assistance or challenge.

During our fast-paced day together, you will learn about specific techniques and valuable tools for teaching your students how to speak and write in mathematics, beyond just getting some thoughts down on paper. I have developed and collected a variety of practical techniques and useful strategies to show how using only 10 minutes or less a day to support vocabulary and conceptual development, along with verbal and written communication skills, has made a substantial difference for both me and my secondary mathematics students.

I look forward to enhancing your comfort and knowledge of engaging your students in speaking and writing in the secondary mathematics classroom, in ways that will pay extensive dividends for you and your students.

Sincerely,
Beatrice Moore

P.S. The focus of this seminar will be on proven, practical strategies that you can use immediately to teach your secondary students in grades 6-12 the skills they need to master writing and speaking about mathematics.

Who Should Attend

Educators Serving Grades 6-12: Middle School Mathematics Teachers; High School Mathematics Teachers, Math Interventionists/Specialists, Special Education Staff, Title I Staff, and Administrators.

Special Benefits of Attending

Extensive Resource Handbook
Each participant will receive an extensive resource handbook specifically designed for this seminar. The handbook includes:

Practical strategies for creating a literacy rich environment in the secondary mathematics classroom
Graphic organizers to support “math talks,” prewriting, note taking, problem solving, vocabulary, and concept development
Dozens of ready-to-use writing samples and reproducibles you can use immediately
Research-based communication and writing strategies to positively impact student learning in mathematics
A wealth of strategies to incorporate oral and written communication in daily mathematics instruction

Meet and Share
This seminar provides a wonderful opportunity for participants to meet and share ideas with other educators interested in teaching essential speaking and writing skills in their secondary mathematics classes.

Consultation Available
Beatrice Moore will be available at the seminar for consultation regarding your questions and the unique needs of your own secondary mathematics program.

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