The Language of Math: Part of the Informational Discourse Continuum

Abstract

Children with language impairment (LI) exhibit difficulty with basic information processing skills that relate to encoding, storing, recalling, organizing, and producing language (Reimann, Gut, Frischknecht, & Grob, 2013). These language-learning problems may impact their ability to understand and use discourse in social and academic settings. One form of informational discourse that is not often discussed, but is critical for success in academic settings, is mathematical discourse. This paper addresses ways in which SLPs may improve students' abilities to profit from instruction in math.