March 2012

This is a short summary of recent research into how bilingualism strengthens the brain.

The details are a bit fuzzy, as is always the case in social science, but these results would not surprise me.  In fact, it’s surprising to me that people ever thought bilingualism would be a hindrance to cognitive function, as opposed to an aid.

I think about bilingualism often as a math teacher.  I try to consistently preach mathematical bilingualism, imploring students to train themselves to see problems both algebraically and geometrically.  Being able to see a situation in two (or more) ways not only creates great flexibility in problem solving, but it strengthens the overall inter-connections between mathematical ideas.

It seems only natural to me that traditional bilingualism would do the same.  Not only does it offer multiple filters for processing the world, but the development and maintenance of the cognitive systems is a real intellectual workout.

I had the pleasure of running a workshop at this weekend’s Celebration of Teaching and Learning in New York City.  The workshop explored ways to inspire and structure student writing in math class, and was sponsored by Math for America.

In addition to the workshop, I wrote a companion piece for the CTL’s Edblog, titled  “The Write Angle for Teaching Math“:

http://thirteencelebration.org/blog/edblog/edblog-the-write-angle-for-teaching-math/3193/

The incorporation of writing into math class has played a pivotal role in my development and evolution as a math teacher.  This article discusses some of the ways I get students writing about math, both technically and creatively.

Writing in math class opens up a whole new world for both teachers and students.  Give it a try!  You might be surprised at where it takes you.