Methods of Instruction for Teaching Mathematics

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Mention the word math and a considerable number of people are sure to express their aversion to the subject. To illustrate: Raytheon Corporation surveyed approximately 1,000 adulterants whether they would prefer to eat broccoli or to work on a problem in mathematics. The preponderance of the students picked broccoli. The terror of math encompasses into later life. According to research by the non-profit institute Change the Equation in 2010, nearly one-third of Americans would rather clean an unsanitary bathrooms than do a mathematics assignment. (Paul, 2013). However for many individuals, this isn’t a simple matter of disliking math. In schools today, there are currently 2.4 million students diagnosed with a learning disability. Learning disabilities are capricious disorders that affect one’s ability to “speak, listen, think, read, write, spell, or compute”, and thus have a negative impact on learning (Kaye, 2010). Math learning difficulties can range from mild to severe and, contrary to popular belief, are just as inescapable as reading problems; yet students with math deficits often do not receive the attention and concern they need to achieve success. The effects of repeated math failures through school years, combined with math illiteracy in adult life, can have detrimental effects for both diurnal living and occupational projections (Garnett, 1998). With the increasingly advanced world, mathematical knowledge—critical thinking abilities, deductive logic, reasoning abilities, and problem-solving skills—is no longer optional. Math is critical for success, and as an educator, it is critical to know how to recognize and understand various math learning disabilities as well as what strategies can be implemented in ... ... middle of paper ... ...Montague, M., Enders, C., & Dietz, S. (2011). Effects of cognitive strategy instruction on math problem solving of middle school students with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 34(4), 262-272. Murphy Paul, A. (2013, June 11). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://anniemurphypaul.com/2013/06/why-do-so-many-of-us-hate-math/ Obudo, F. (2008). Teaching mathematics to students with learning disabilities: a literature review. (Master's thesis)Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED500500.pdf Wadlington, E., & Wadlington, P. L. (2008). Helping students with mathematical disabilities to succeed. Preventing School Failure, 53(1), 2-7. Osmon, D.C., Smerz, J.M., Braun, M.M., & Plambeck, E. (2006). Processing abilities associated with math skills in adult learning disability. Journal of Clinical & Experimental Neuropsychology, 28(1), 84-95.

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