Use writing in teaching mathematics

Use Writing In Teaching Mathematics It is suggested that writing activities requiring students to express their feelings on what they have done during the class contribute the ability to think critically to create logical answers which are meaningful and relevant foreveryday life and to develop higher cognitive functions which include problem solving. The aim of this study is to evaluate mathematics lessons based on writing activities. The study was conducted during the 2004- 2005 spring term in a 6th grade class with students over a ten week period (two times a week-40 hour course period in total). Lessons were given by the teacher researher using various writing activities in traditional teaching. The writing activities used in the study are (a) explanatory writing, (b) journals, (c) writing about a problem stuation based on a scenaria, (d) open-ended resposes to study expressions. After each lesson, the teacher kept journals in which he summarised the situations and events he observed during the class section. The findings in the study were obtained using the following ways; a) examining students' files in which their works are kept, b) studying the teacher journal, c) analysing students' written responses to a given scenario, d) using a qualitative analisis of the semi-structured interview with ten students. At the end of the study, it is found that the mathematical communication increased in the classroom. Because the students performed the activities (such as solving a problem, answering a question or writing a journal) by interacting with the teacher and their classmates. Besides, practices of writing activities encouraget the teacher to change his practice from root teaching to conceptual teaching to "concept-teaching". Writing also help students to form positive attitudes towards mathematics and writing in general. Recommedation on how to integrate writing into mathematics courses are presented in the study. The efficiency of these writing activities can be improved if teachers are presented with samples of classroom practice in preservice and inservice courses. Teachers can also be encouraged to use writing more in mathematics lessons. Keywords: Teaching Mathematics, Writing in Maths, Writing to Learn, Action Research VI