Integrating Literacy and Math

Ellen Fogelberg, MST, CAS, has been a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and staff developer. She is currently the Literacy Director for the Evanston/Skokie School District and an adjunct professor at National-Louis University, teaching in the graduate program for Reading. Ms. Fogelberg has presented at state and national conferences and continues to provide workshops for teachers. She received the Reading Educator of the Year award in 2007 from the Illinois Reading Council. Carole Skalinder, MST, has taught in public and private schools for over 30 years. While teaching third grade in Evanston, Illinois, for the last 14 years, she has also worked as a part-time math coach for her school district. She provides professional development in math curriculum and instruction for many groups of practicing and beginning teachers. Ms. Skalinder collaborated with Donna Ogle and other educators to develop an integrated science and literacy curriculum and has presented the resulting student work at local and national conferences. She participated in the revision of a major standards-based math curriculum.  Patti Satz, MEd, has been teaching first and second grade for 32 years in Evanston School District 65. She has been a math curriculum and instruction coach for 3 years and has been a consultant for a major standards-based math curriculum revision. She has also been a math curriculum presenter at numerous professional workshops. Ms. Satz has trained new teachers in her district in math instruction for many years, and was the recipient of the 2002 Excellence in Mentoring Award from Northwestern University and the Evanston Chamber of Commerce.  Barbara Hiller, MS, is presently serving as a principal coach for the Consortium for Educational Change in Illinois. A former middle school mathematics teacher in Athens, Greece, and Evanston, Illinois, Ms. Hiller has also served as a math curriculum coordinator, middle school principal, and consultant to the University of Chicago Everyday Mathematics development project. As a Peace Corps volunteer in the early years of the program, she taught mathematics at the Philippine Normal College, training new teachers and providing staff development throughout the country. Ms. Hiller retired as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the Evanston/Skokie School District in Illinois. Lisa Bernstein, MEd, currently teaches third grade in the Evanston/Skokie public schools in Illinois. As a proponent of the improvement of elementary math education, she works with various programs, including Northwestern University's Project EXCITE and the University of Chicago's Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education, and presents math workshops for teachers throughout Illinois.  Sandra Vitantonio, MEd, is an educator in Evanston, Illinois, and was a classroom teacher for 34 years. During this time, she received an award from the Illinois State Board of Education as part of its Those Who Excel Awards Program, and was nominated for the Kohl Teaching Award by her school district. She also worked at the University of Chicago on the Everyday Mathematics curriculum project. She retired from teaching in 2005 and is currently working as a mentor coach for new teachers in Evanston/Skokie District 65.  Â

"This book shows us myriad ways in which literacy and math are connected, and provides engaging and practical ways to take advantage of these connections in teaching. The authors combine the realities of classroom practice, insights from research, a reflective approach, and a heavy measure of creativity to develop innovative frameworks and practices that can take mathematics and literacy education to the next level. I want our preservice teachers to read this book to truly understand that literacy education is about so much more than traditional reading and writing instruction. I want inservice teachers to read this book to help them break down some of the artificial boundaries that constrain their teaching, and their students' learning. Finally, I want researchers to read this book to learn about cutting-edge classroom strategies that are well worth studying."--Nell K. Duke, EdD, Professor of Language, Literacy, and Culture, University of Michigan"Integrating Literacy and Math is an excellent resource for both preservice and inservice teachers striving to strengthen the link between mathematics and literacy. Educators at the elementary level will find a multitude of concrete examples for each of the authors’ suggestions. Essential research that supports the practical ideas contained in the text is clearly noted, making this book a valuable contribution."--Jennifer L. Altieri, PhD, Coordinator, Division of Literacy Education, The Citadel"This is a practical resource that has been written with the classroom teacher (or teacher-to-be) in mind. It includes numerous examples of what mathematical discourse sounds like at a variety of grade levels. Many elementary teachers are more comfortable teaching literacy; this book builds needed bridges between literacy and the language of math."--Kristen Campbell-Wilder, MA, CAGS, teaching specialist, Breakthrough Magnet School, Hartford, Connecticut"The authors provide models from actual classrooms of interdisciplinary, student-centered approaches that make math more accessible. They describe an engaging, language-rich environment that benefits all students, including English language learners and special education students. The methods illustrated in the book encourage risk taking among students as they develop and communicate mathematical understanding and build the skills to become lifelong problem solvers."--Christopher Love, MAT, math content coach, Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland-

• 1. What Is Math-Literacy Integration?2. Getting Children Started on Math Talk3. Helping Children Get Better at Math Talk4. Orienting Children to Math Texts5. Actively Reading Math Texts6. Learning Math Vocabulary 7. Math Writing8. Math Assessment through Literacy ProductsAppendix A. NCTM Standards for School MathematicsAppendix B. Standards for the English Language Arts of the NCTE and the IRAAppendix C. Teachers’ Favorite Read-Alouds