Literature-Based Mathematics in Elementary School
"When we think of mathematics books, we think of non-fiction,
even though mathematics itself is predominantly fiction" (Pappas, 1999).
Some of us may feel uncomfortable with the notion that mathematics
is fiction, but the concepts and procedures of mathematics are all constructions
of our minds, products of our attempts to understand our worlds, real and imaginary.
Some mathematical ideas have obvious practical applications in our everyday
lives, while other ideas seem very abstract, with little apparent connection
to life as most of us experience it. All mathematical ideas, though, take shape
through our attempts to communicate, and therefore find their way into our
literature. Having an inherent sense of number (Dehaene, 1997), we express
mathematical ideas in stories, essays, poems, books, and other forms of literature
that convey life experiences, real or imagined. One way of connecting school
mathematics to everyday life, then, is to draw attention to the mathematics
embedded in the literature of everyday life, to reveal the mathematics inherent
in human thinking and communication about life experiences.
BENEFITS OF THE LITERATURE CONNECTION
Linking mathematics instruction to children's literature has
become increasingly popular in recent years for a variety of reasons. Some
suggest that the literature connection motivates students (Usnick & McCarthy,
1998), provokes interest (Welchman-Tischler, 1992), helps students connect
mathematical ideas to their personal experiences (Murphy, 2000), accommodates
children with different learning styles (Murphy, 2000), promotes critical thinking
(Murphy, 2000), or provides a context for using mathematics to solve problems
(Jacobs & Rak, 1997; Melser & Leitze, 1999). Hebert and Furner (1997)
introduced the idea of "bibliotherapy" to help students see mathematics as
a tool for making life easier. Smith (1999) described the use of literature
in designing lessons that place mathematical ideas in a cultural context.
Despite the many suggestions and reasons for incorporating literature
into mathematics instruction, however, relatively few formal studies of the
benefits of literature-based mathematics have been reported. Hong (1996) did
find that kindergartners exposed to story-related mathematics exhibited a greater
preference and aptitude for mathematics activities than did those of a comparison
group. Whitin and Whitin (2000) explored the ways in which fourth-grade students
use story, metaphor, and language to develop mathematical thinking skills and
strategies, and their book offers ideas for using children's literature to
inspire mathematical investigations and to teach mathematical concepts. Another
research group (Karp, Brown, Allen, & Allen, 1998) examined the use of
role models in children's literature to promote conceptual understanding and
passion for mathematics among girls. In each of these studies, the value of
literature-based mathematics instruction seems to be affirmed, but in what
ways can literature be incorporated into mathematics instruction?
WAYS TO USE CHILDREN'S LITERATURE IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS
Though many children's books are explicitly about mathematics,
such as books about counting or shapes, other books have mathematics embedded
within a larger context. These books are generally not perceived as "math books," but
mathematics appears as a natural element within stories, problems, personal
vignettes, or cultural events. Welchman-Tischler (1992) has classified the
ways to use such books as follows:
- To provide a context or model for an activity with mathematical
content.
- To introduce manipulative's that will be used in varied ways
(not necessarily as in the story).
- To inspire a creative mathematics experience for children.
- To pose an interesting problem.
- To prepare for a mathematics concept or skill.
- To develop or explain a mathematics concept or skill.
- To review a mathematics concept or skill.
Though any given book could likely be used in multiple ways,
the common element in these various approaches is the intent to use literature
to provide vicarious mathematical experiences based on real problems or situations
of interest to teachers and students.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT
Criteria for evaluating children's books with mathematical
dimensions have been offered by Austin (1998), and she makes the point that
books to be used should provide a pleasurable and authentic literary experience
as well as the opportunity to use mathematics for authentic purposes. Context
is key. Without context, whether through direct experiences with objects,
everyday problems to solve, or literature-based mathematics, schoolroom mathematics
too easily becomes reduced to what Carl Sandbug described in his poem, "Arithmetic:" "Arithmetic
is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper
till you get the answer." Through attention to the mathematics in literature,
we can help students realize that mathematics, including arithmetic, is a
spontaneous and natural expression of human minds attempting to capture important
aspects of our experienced and imagined worlds.
Resources and References
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