Communicating mathematically: Introduction

Toward this end, the K-12 standards articulate five general goals for all students: (1) that they learn to value mathematics, (2) that they become confident in their ability to do mathematics, (3) that they become mathematical problem solvers, (4) that they learn to communicate mathematically, and (5) that they learn to reason mathematically. Robert Quinn and Mary Wilson's study, reported on in their article "Writing in the Mathematics Classroom: Teacher Beliefs and Practices," found positive attitudes toward the concept of writing in mathematics, but their data also indicate that teacher practice lags behind teacher belief. In a third article on reading, "The Effect of Learning Mathematical Reading Strategies on Secondary Students' Homework Grades," Elliott Ostler shows that it is necessary to spend time to teach students how to read their mathematics books.