Math in School: EDUC 138 Week 7 Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers concepts from EDUC 138 Week 7, including the neurobiology of math, gender theories, developmental dyscalculia, and the history of math education reform.

Math Brain Neuromyth

The misconception that math only occurs in the left brain; in reality, calculations recruit from prefrontal and parietal regions in both hemispheres.

Laterality in Math Tasks

Brain activity is dominant for addition in the left hemisphere, split for subtraction, and right dominant for multiplication.

Leonard Sax's Maturity Findings

Based on EEG research, language and fine motor skills mature about $6$ years earlier in girls, while math and geometry areas mature about $4$ years earlier in boys.

Michael Gurion's Hormonal Theory

The claim that testosterone surges make boys naturally better at abstract thinking, while girls perform well in math only during brief estrogen surges.

Developmental Dyscalculia

A neurodevelopmental disorder affecting $5-8\%$ of learners, characterized by persistent difficulty acquiring math skills not explained by intellectual disabilities.

Left Angular Gyrus (AG)

A region in the cerebral cortex that plays a role in the rapid retrieval of facts and mapping quantities onto Arabic numerals.

Left Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS)

A brain area that plays a role in calculation and comparing symbolic numbers, such as $3$ and $8$.

Right Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS)

A region active during calculations and comparing non-symbolic sets of objects, such as collections of items; often less active in children with dyscalculia.

Number Sense

An in-built human ability used to estimate things like crowd sizes or the number of seats in a cinema.

Math Talk

The frequency and type of number-related language (counting, cardinality, naming digits) used by parents or teachers with children.

Numerical Magnitude Estimation

Approximating answers to arithmetic problems or distances; an accurate sense of this in $1^{st}$ grade predicts faster growth in elementary school math.

Explicit Instruction

A teacher-driven approach involving segmenting complex skills, modeling with think-alouds, providing feedback, and using faded supports.

Math Wars

The ongoing debate between proponents of explicit, traditional instruction and those favoring constructivist, inquiry-based approaches.

Constructivist Paradigm

A teaching approach characterized by circular desk arrangements, student discussion, and the teacher serving as a facilitator.

New Math (1950s)

A reform movement that emphasized logical explanations for math procedures but was often criticized for a reduced focus on basic skills.

An Agenda for Action (1980)

An NCTM release calling for new directions in mathematics education, establishing problem-solving as the primary focus.

A Nation at Risk (1983)

A report that warned the educational foundations of society were being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity, sparking concerns about math preparedness.

Productive Struggle

A concept in the 2023 California Math Framework that encourages students to investigate authentic problems through exploration and discovery.