What did you learn?
What stuck with me the most was the discussion about language in geometry. I found myself thinking about all the specialized language that’s also used in algebra (what I’m teaching now), and realized that it’s a bit like learning a foreign language, except that the language learning part is implied and not really explicit. I think in geometry there is more emphasis on vocabulary, but this is also important in other fields of mathematics. I also got to thinking that students are likely to encounter other fields with specialized language, but that math might be the first major one.
What questions do you still have?
I want to know if a greater emphasis on language development in earlier math might not help students with their learning later down the road.
How can it apply to classroom practice?
I think I might try to take time out once or twice a week to talk specifically about terms, what they mean, and how they relate, to help students clarify their conceptual understanding.
