I learned about these strategies at a great workshop on Math Language Routines by Jeffrey Hamilton and Jason Garofalo from the New York City Department of Education and Math for America.
These routines support all of our students and are especially helpful for English Language Learners.
A ‘math language routine’ refers to a structured but adaptable format for amplifying, assessing, and developing students’ language. The routines emphasize the use of language that is meaningful and purposeful, not inauthentic or simply answer-based. These routines can be adapted and incorporated across lessons in each unit to fit the mathematical work wherever there are productive opportunities to support students in using and improving their English and disciplinary language.
Here are the Mathematical Language Routines described in the attached report (pdf link above):
- Stronger and Clearer Each Time
- Collect and Display
- Critique, Correct, and Clarify
- Information Gap
- Co-Craft Questions and Problems
- Three Reads
- Compare and Connect
- Discussion Supports
Here is a sample resource to use with Stronger and Clearer Each Time:
