My kids can : making math accessible to all learners, K–5

A Double Dose of Math

During one particular year, Diane and I worked closely together to support
the progress of Jhali, a student with multiple learning challenges. Our work dur-
ing this time allowed us to both strengthen our collaboration strategies and sup-
port the growth of this student’s mathematical understanding.

Planning for Our Work with Jhali

In addition to being an English language learner, Jhali had specific learning dis-
abilities in the areas of reading, written expression, and mathematics. As we began
work on our fractions unit, it was clear that this content would be particularly
challenging for Jhali. I knew it would be important to work closely with Diane to
map out and execute a course of instruction that would help us meet the following
state benchmarks:

• interpreting the meaning of numeratoranddenominator


• understanding that fractions refer to equal parts


• visualizing fractions


• identifying relationships between unit fractions


• ordering fractions with like denominators and justifying their order
  through reasoning

In preparation, I spent some time assessing Jhali’s current understandings about
fractions and discovered she was struggling in several areas:

• She had difficulty creating a mental image of a fraction.


• She was unable to make up a story that described a fractional relationship.


• She would use either the numerator or denominator—whichever was
  larger—when comparing two fractions.


• She was using an additive approach to look at the relationship between the
  numerator and the denominator. For example, in describing , she re-
  marked that “5 is 3 more than 2.”

I also gathered information about how Jhali incorporated the work she was
doing in Diane’s pullout group during the regular mathematics education block.
For example, when Jhali’s small group in my class began to make a deck of frac-
tion cards (Russell et al. 2008d), Diane volunteered to make additional cards for
the unit fractions and wholes with unit fractions to give Jhali extra practice in the
pullout group (e.g., ) (see Figure 22–1). We used these cards to order fractions
and to match the fractional notations with pictures of area models of the frac-
tions. Because of the extra practice with these card games she was getting in her
pullout group, Jhali was confident in her ability to support her small group’s work
in the regular math block by making the deck of fraction cards.

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