March 25, 2026Language, Math Classroom, Multilingual Learnersby Math for All

Planning for Multilingual Learners in Math, Part 2

There are two broad considerations when planning support for the English language development (ELD) of students who are multilingual learners (MLs) within general education mathematics lessons in the United States. As we wrote about in Part 1 of this blog series, the first consideration is to understand and articulate mathematics language expectations for your students. Second—and the focus of Part 2 in this post—is to determine whether and how to adapt an individual lesson so your students meet those language expectations along with the associated mathematics content objectives. A language-focused version of the Math for All lesson adaptation process can act as a springboard for the co-development of language and mathematics.

February 10, 2026Learning, Mathematicsby Math for All

Setting High Expectations

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right.”
—Henry Ford

This quote is attributed to Henry Ford in 1947, but it stems from a long history of ideas about mindset, self-fulfilling prophecies, and expectations. As a teacher, I adapted the wording to my context: “Whether you think they can, or you think they can’t, you’re probably right.” I learned the truth of this rephrasing during my early years as a classroom teacher.

January 9, 2026Language, Math Classroom, Multilingual Learnersby Math for All

Planning for Multilingual Learners in Math, Part 1

As math teachers, when we are serving students from different countries—those whose parents studied outside of the U.S., or those for whom English is a second or additional language—we should take time to orient ourselves to their background knowledge and assets. It is through a growing understanding of who they are, and the resulting dialogue, that we can honor the “funds of knowledge” they and their families contribute to our educational system and to our math classrooms.

December 3, 2025Cognitive demands of mathematical tasks, higher-order thinking (HOT), Neurodevelopmental Functionsby Math for All

Math for All and Supporting Students’ Higher-Order Thinking

Over the past few decades, researchers, educators, and policymakers have agreed upon the importance of fostering students’ higher-order thinking (HOT) in mathematics, which has led to reforming mathematics curriculum, instruction, assessments, and teacher training (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010). Developing higher-order thinking is essential for students’ success in learning mathematics. Math For All employs a neurodevelopmental framework (NDF) to analyze the cognitive demands of mathematical tasks. This framework identifies eight key areas of cognition that can come into play when learning: language, sequential ordering, spatial ordering, motor functions, psychosocial functions, attention, memory, and higher-order thinking.

November 4, 2025Mathematics, Rich Mathematics, Strengths-Based Approachby Math for All

Engaging all Students: Rich Tasks and a Strengths-Based Approach

Consider the following 6th-grade task from Illustrative Mathematics. Take a few moments to solve it using any method you like.

Jessica gets her favorite shade of purple paint by mixing 2 cups of blue paint with 3 cups of red paint. How many cups of blue and red paint does Jessica need to make 20 cups of her favorite purple paint?

Did you read the problem and hear yourself mutter “Hmmm…”? Were there multiple options to consider for working out a solution? Did you find yourself mulling over why one strategy was stronger than another? Could you solve this question quickly or did you need to take your time? Did you arrive at an answer?

October 1, 2025Learning, Manipulatives, Mathematicsby Math for All

Manipulatives: Not Just for Kids, Not Just for Strugglers

By 1953, scientists knew much about DNA, including its chemical components and how they related to each other. There was even X-ray crystallography of the molecule. However, the structure of DNA in three-dimensional space remained a mystery. James Watson and Francis Crick experimented with building wooden models, creating several until they found the one that fit all of what was already known. This work, which relied heavily on the use of physical models, earned them and their colleague, Maurice Wilkins, a Nobel Prize. Their discovery of the physical structure of the DNA molecule was a breakthrough that lead to massive advances in the understanding of genetics and in medicine.

September 1, 2025AI, Mathematicsby Math for All

AI: A Coaching Thought Partner

My husband is a data scientist, so I’ve been hearing about AI and ChatGPT a lot over the past year. When I listened to him share his experiences using this generative AI tool, I—like many other educators—wasn’t sure how we should be using it. Educator and researcher Donna Shrum was encouraged to try out AI in her teaching practice by her colleagues. She wrote about her positive experience using it to give immediate feedback during a writing workshop in an opinion piece in Education Week (Ferlazzo, 2025).

June 1, 2025Language, Mathematics, Neurodevelopmental Functionsby Math for All

Strategies for Math Intervention Can Benefit All Students

Every math classroom is filled with students who have different strengths, experiences, and learning needs. While research-based math intervention strategies are designed to support students who may struggle, these same practices can also strengthen learning for all students.

This blog post explores two powerful practices that can help students deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts: building mathematical language and using models and manipulatives (also known as representations). Language and representation might seem distinct at first, but in reality, they are constantly interacting. When students are explaining their ideas aloud or showing their thinking by using models, language and representations work together to help students make sense of math.

May 1, 2025Learning, Mathematics, Parentsby Math for All

Supporting Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education

Years ago, I worked in classrooms and in after-school settings with refugee youth at a school that was established specifically for students newly arrived in the U.S. The teachers who founded the school in the Bronx promoted literacy as a means to help students succeed in their world. They were skilled and reflective practitioners. They designed project-based curricula that allowed students to draw on their personal backgrounds, and understood how to integrate language and content in ways that were engaging for adolescents. Yet as rich and thoughtful as the curriculum was, a subset of students challenged their competence. These Multilingual Learners (MLLs) were designated as Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE).

April 1, 2025Honoring Diversity, Learning Environment, Math Classroomby Math for All

Fostering Spatial Thinking in Young Children

Spatial thinking—the ability to visualize, manipulate, and reason about objects in space—is essential for success in mathematics and other subjects such as science, engineering, and technology. Spatial thinking plays a role not only in learning about basic shapes, but it is also important in higher mathematics such as geometry and algebra. For instance, spatial thinking can help students to visualize word problems (e.g., using arrays to think about multiplication problems), picture equations and graphs, and to solve problems related to area, volume, and angles. In today’s world, where more time is spent indoors with increased passive screen time and limited opportunities for exploration and play, spatial skills are often underdeveloped in young children. However, research shows that young children can improve their spatial thinking by working with teachers (Casey et al., 2008) and parents (Borriello & Liben, 2018; Hall et al., 2023; Verdine et al., 2019).

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