Learning to Teach Mathematics with Literature Connections

Susan L. Hillman

Saginaw Valley State University

shillman@svsu.edu

Abstract: This study provides insight for a deeper and better understanding of how preservice elementary teachers think about making connections between mathematics and literature for the purpose of designing and implementing meaningful mathematics instruction.

Connecting mathematics with other subject areas and developing mathematical communication through reading, writing, and speaking have continued to be emphasized as desirable goals in mathematics instruction (NCTM, 2000). Teaching mathematics by making connections with children's literature is an increasingly popular way to not only develop understanding of mathematical ideas, but also to develop mathematical communication through reading, writing, and speaking. Linking literature with mathematics instruction has even permeated textbooks (including textbooks used in mathematics methods courses for preservice elementary teachers), with lists of books that may be used with various mathematics topics. This implies that future elementary school teachers need to be prepared for designing, implementing, and assessing the results of such lessons. The purpose of this study was to understand how preservice elementary teachers think about using children's literature as a part of mathematics lessons and to what extent they could apply what they learned about teaching mathematics using children's literature. This paper will describe the connections between literature and mathematics made by preservice elementary teachers when planning for and using literature to teach mathematics based on their experiences in a mathematics methods course and related field placement.

Theoretical Framework

Current curricular trends include making connections between and among various disciplines and within a discipline. Using literature in mathematics instruction provides natural opportunities to make such connections (e.g., Smith, 1995). In addition, literature connections with mathematics instruction may provide opportunities for a broader and deeper understanding of mathematical ideas (e.g., Wickett, 2000). Many logical arguments have been put forth regarding the benefits of linking literature with mathematics (Kolstad & Briggs, 1996; Schiro, 1997). Research has provided some encouraging evidence that using literature in mathematics lessons can increase problem solving skills, student interest, and achievement (Burnett & Wichman, 1997; Hong, 1996; Jennings, Jennings, Richey & Dixon-Krauss, 1992) and reduce math anxiety (Burnett & Wichman, 1997). In addition, the growing number of examples describing how teachers have linked literature with the teaching of mathematics in their classrooms has provided a great repertoire of ideas for successful lessons (e.g., Wickett, 2000). Preservice elementary teachers need to be aware of ways to develop mathematical understanding and ways to link mathematics with other subject areas; using literature appears to be one viable way to accomplish these goals.

Literature may be used in several ways as a part of mathematics lessons (Schiro, 1997; Welchman-Tischler, 1992). Schiro (1997) distinguished using literature for mathematical literary criticism and editing as a way to integrate mathematics and literature from using literature as a springboard into mathematics activities. Welchman-Tischler (1992) described several ways to use literature as a springboard into mathematics activities (e.g., providing a context or posing a problem). Many examples exist of teachers using literature as a springboard into mathematics activities, while there are few examples of teachers using literature in a more integrated way. Preservice elementary teachers not only need to be aware of different ways to use literature as a part of mathematics lessons, but ought to have experiences using literature in mathematics lessons and time to reflect upon those experiences.

Thompson (1992) discussed how teachers' knowledge and beliefs interact with classroom practices. Preservice teachers' knowledge and beliefs about connecting mathematics and literature may influence how they design and implement such lessons. Thus, it is important to find out what preservice teachers know and think about using literature as a way to develop mathematical understanding and to connect mathematics with other subject areas.

Methods

Participants

Fifty-one preservice teachers were enrolled in two sections of an elementary mathematics methods course. They ranged in age from 20 to over 40 years old. Experiences in the mathematics methods course included exposure to literature related to mathematics topics through book talks, and modeling and discussing examples of using literature in mathematics lessons. Each preservice teacher was placed with one or two peers in an elementary classroom (Kindergarten through fifth grade) for a seven-week field placement, two hours per week. Most taught a lesson each time they were in the field. Some preservice teachers chose to team-teach and others taught solo lessons. All were encouraged to try at least one mathematics lesson involving literature. Eight students in one section and 15 students in the other section taught at least one lesson using children's literature.

Data Sources and Analysis

Sources of data included preservice teachers' written reflections on class discussions and activities, copies of their lesson plans, their written reflections on lessons they taught, and fieldnotes from classroom observations of ten preservice teachers teaching mathematics lessons using literature. Qualitative methods were appropriate for investigating how preservice teachers thought about and applied what they learned about teaching mathematics using children's literature. The data were examined for emerging patterns regarding how literature was used in mathematics lessons and to what extent the mathematics of each lesson was connected to the piece of literature used. Categories were developed to classify lessons according to the way the literature was used (e.g., as an introduction to the lesson or as the main focus of the lesson) and linked to mathematical ideas involved in the lessons (e.g., strong link, weak link, no link). A strong link involved connecting an obvious mathematical idea contained in the literature with related mathematics activities (e.g., reading a book about measuring length in inches to launch a lesson activity measuring lengths of various items in inches). A weak link involved using literature with potential for an obvious mathematical connection to the mathematics lesson but that connection was not emphasized and sometimes ignored after the book was finished being read. An example of no link between using a piece of literature and teaching a mathematics lesson involved a mismatch between the mathematics contained in the literature and the mathematics content of the lesson (e.g., reading a poem with an obvious connection to counting as an “introduction” to a lesson on measuring length). Comments made in reflections on lessons taught and notes from classroom observations of lessons taught were used to substantiate and clarify different ways the preservice teachers thought about and used literature in their mathematics lessons.

Results and Conclusions

Reflecting on experiences with connecting mathematics and literature in the methods course, typical comments from preservice teachers included "I used to think math and reading are two separate subjects, but there are so many books and novels that use mathematical concepts," and "I did not realize how many math ideas you could get from one book ... I had read the book before, but didn't associate it with math." These comments indicate a new awareness of how mathematics and literature might work together in the classroom. In addition, many preservice teachers thought it would be easy and fun to plan and implement mathematics instruction using literature after experiencing some examples of such instruction in the methods course. One student commented, "I learned there is math in numerous children's books and these can be very easily incorporated into the teaching of math. Using books to teach math is a fun way for the students to learn the abstract concepts in math." Other comments such as "it was good that we went through the different steps in using a book with math. The modeling was very effective" indicated that for many of the preservice teachers, it was important to have direct experiences with how to use literature in mathematics lessons.

The preservice teachers designed mathematics lessons using literature in a variety of ways. These included using the literature as an introduction to the lesson to establish a context, to pose problems, to introduce a manipulative, or to further develop a concept (Welchman-Tischler, 1992). Some chose to use literature with an explicit connection to the mathematics of their lesson (e.g., a book about fraction concepts with a lesson on fraction concepts), while others chose to use literature with an implicit connection to the mathematics of their lesson (e.g., a book about seasons to motivate a lesson on measuring temperature).

The preservice teachers had varying degrees of success with using literature in ways that really connected with the mathematical ideas of the lesson. Some preservice teachers used the literature throughout the lesson by having students act out the story, highlighting the mathematics. Some preservice teachers selected literature that connected well with lesson objectives. For example, "the literature connection went very well. They all enjoyed the story and it made an excellent introduction to measurement" was part of a reflection on a lesson that closely matched the lesson activities with the context of the story. Another reflected "I wouldn't read the book if I were to do this again. Although it was a simple, informative book, it wasn't a story and the children got fidgety. Also, it was rather long and when I tried to cut it by skipping a couple of pages, some of the children took exception to that." This reflection revealed an awareness that even though the book related well to the planned lesson objectives, sometimes it might not work well to use literature in a lesson and there was a need to think carefully about the selection of a book and how it would be used in an appropriate way. Others made weak connections between the literature and the lesson objectives, while a few choose a piece of literature that did not support the lesson objectives.

Some preservice teachers used the literature as a basis for exploring mathematical ideas while also incorporating language arts activities such as acting out the mathematics of the story or using the context for writing and solving related problems. Discussion and activities around the mathematical ideas of the lesson took place before, during and/or after the reading of the literature.

Most preservice teachers used the literature as a springboard into mathematical activities. There was some discussion before, during, or after the reading of the literature regarding the mathematical ideas of the lesson. However, the mathematical activities after reading and discussing the literature focused on the mathematics and did not directly engage students in continuing to think about the mathematical connections to the literature.

Some preservice teachers read a piece of literature to the students and had very little or no discussion about the literature and connections to the mathematics of the lesson. These preservice teachers sometimes commented that the literature they chose did not really fit the lesson as they originally thought it would. In other cases, the preservice teachers in this situation did not seem to have a clear idea about how to connect using the literature with the mathematics of their lesson. One preservice teacher commented that she chose to read a "math poem" at the beginning of the lesson because it would be "fun," and it would "help to get the children settled down after coming back from recess," even though the poem did not connect with the mathematics of the subsequent lesson. She reflected on this experience and realized that it would "make more sense to choose something related to the math in the lesson."

Although some preservice teachers may benefit from exposure to various pieces of literature with suggestions for making mathematical connections, other preservice teachers need more structured examples and models for making such connections for well-designed lessons. In addition, preservice teachers need opportunities to try out their ideas in real classrooms and reflect on those experiences. Learning about how to effectively use literature in a mathematics lesson involves learning from what does not work as well as learning from what does work. Implications of this study indicate that modeling effective teaching practices in methods courses and having opportunities to try out and reflect on their ideas is a necessary part of the learning process.

References

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