CTL’s Adolescent Literacy Model (ALM) provides a framework for understanding and improving literacy across all content areas, including mathematics. The ALM emphasizes the importance of developing students’ ability to read, write, and communicate effectively within the context of mathematics. In this blog post, we will explore some key characteristics of the ALM and its implications for teaching and learning mathematics.
Four Characteristics of the ALM
- Strategic Engagement: This characteristic focuses on students’ ability to engage with mathematical texts and problems in a strategic, and purposeful way. It involves using a variety of ALM literacy strategies that include reading, writing, speaking, and listening to understand mathematical concepts and solve problems.
- Knowledge Building: This characteristic emphasizes the importance of building a deep and interconnected understanding of mathematical concepts. It involves connecting new knowledge to prior learning, making inferences, and using evidence to support claims. CTL’s Thinking & Learning Framework provides practices that support knowledge-building skills in the classroom.
- Critical Thinking: This characteristic focuses on students’ ability to think critically about mathematical information and arguments. It involves evaluating the validity of mathematical reasoning, identifying patterns and relationships, and making informed judgments. CTL’s Thinking & Learning Framework provides practices that support knowledge building skills in the classroom.
- Communication: This characteristic highlights the importance of effective communication in mathematics. It involves expressing mathematical ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, and understanding the mathematical language and representations used in textbooks, assessments, and other contexts.
Implications for Teaching and Learning Mathematics
The ALM has significant implications for teaching and learning mathematics. By focusing on these four characteristics, teachers can create engaging and effective learning experiences that help students develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and skills.
- Creating a Literacy-Rich Mathematics Classroom: To support adolescent literacy in mathematics, teachers can create a classroom environment that is rich in literacy experiences. This includes using a variety of mathematical texts, such as articles, graphs, and diagrams, and providing opportunities for students to read, write, and discuss mathematical ideas using ALM strategies such as See-Think-Wonder, Alphablocks, or Placemat.
- Teaching Reading Strategies: Teachers can explicitly teach students a variety of reading strategies that can be applied to mathematical texts. This includes strategies such as Concept Mapping, Double Entry Organizer, and Fix-Up Strategies. By using these strategies, students can actively engage with mathematical texts and deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts.
- Building Background Knowledge: Students’ understanding of mathematics is influenced by their prior knowledge. Teachers can help students build background knowledge by connecting new mathematical concepts to their prior experiences and making explicit connections between different mathematical ideas.
- Promoting Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is essential for success in mathematics. Teachers can provide opportunities for students to think critically about mathematical information and arguments. This includes asking students to evaluate the validity of mathematical reasoning, identify patterns and relationships, construct counterclaims, make inferences and make informed judgments and synthesize ideas.
- Fostering Effective Communication: Effective communication is crucial for understanding and applying mathematical concepts. Teachers can provide opportunities for students to express mathematical ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. This includes using mathematical language and representations appropriately and understanding the mathematical language used by others. The use of Alphablocks in teaching mathematics vocabulary provides a space where students can keep track of their vocabulary acquisition and have easy access to their words during class for word study, writing and Academic Dialogue. CTL’s Thinking and Learning Framework Quick Reference Tool provides students with sentence stems and frames that help engage in dialogue to build community, contribute knowledge and think critically.
Through implementation of the ALM, teachers can create a more engaging and effective mathematics classroom that helps students develop the literacy skills they need to succeed in mathematics and beyond.
For more information about ALM and other CTL programming, visit our website at www.ctlonline.org.