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.