Reflection of Mathematics and Language 1-7

By language (incluiding symbol), student will be easily to do and learn mathematics. The language consist of many vocabulary from all around the world.  David said “I discovered that those students who can 'talk math' are the ones who succeed.” He think that there are over 2800 words and phrases that a teenager needs to know vocabulary building activities are an essential part of any math instruction program that wishes to help all students succeed. But many math books use or assume a lot of vocabulary that is not necessary to the understanding of the mathematics. Here, we have to discuss what is the rigth language or vocabulary that can be used, so student can learn it nicely.

As a teacher, we prefer to facilitate the students in order they are able to translate and to be translated, to produce and to be produced, to construct and to be constructed, to reflect and to be reflected, to evaluate and to be evaluated, to judge and to be judged.

Language has its own cultural context. The context is from where the students are coming. Example, in Indonesia we called Fraction as Bilangan Pecah. If we translate back into English using translator, it will be become Broken Number. So language and mathematics can be contextual. Mathematics language is a very interesting topic. But if we try to reduce amount of math vocabulary that children have to learn, it can usually erase the concept from math.

Teachers who are themselves poor at mathematics will be poor teachers of mathematics. The best teacher of mathematics are confident to explain or to show their abilities in math and enjoy mathematics. As teacher, it is dangerous if we force student to learn mathematics like what you want. Because the younger student are free to learn. It is okay if they do not like math and they do not want to learn math. Not every student see that mathematics is beautiful and not every student like mathematics as their favorite subject. Mathematics should be learn happily. Prof. Ernest's main conclusion is that student's learning styles will depend on their respective social backgrounds, and that one must take this into consideration. But the problems, again, are not coming from the students but from the adults (teachers).

We must separate mathematics from mathematics education. There are many logical implications for separating mathematics and mathematics education: a. It will be only the utterances of pure mathematicians about pure mathematics, b. That mathematics educationist have their separate room for their utterances about both education and mathematics, c. There will be a kind of demarcation that the pure mathematicians should not talk about primary and secondary education. and also d. That mathematics education in university should be differentiated with that of primary and secondary schools. So, teaching in primary and secondary mathematics is not as simple as pure mathematician think.