Develop mathematical concepts and working definitions before teaching formal terms, replacing vocabulary preteaching¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The brief recommends that teachers stop frontloading vocabulary and instead let students develop working definitions within meaningful tasks before learning succinct formal terms. In the sample slope lesson, students "conceptually understand slope well before developing a formula," co-constructing slope as a unit rate of change through staircases, tables, and graphs, then articulating how x and y covary.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Tasks must embed language within meaningful mathematical work so working definitions become accessible

Constraints¶

• Contrasts with prevalent practice of preteaching definitions or formulas ahead of the lesson

Target Learners¶

• secondary English Learners in mathematics

Target Learning Goals¶

• conceptual understanding of key ideas such as slope as a unit rate of change

Related Strategies¶

• Front Loading Vocabulary
• Frayer Model

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Haiwen Chu, Monique Evans. (2025). Rethinking Language in Mathematics for English Learners: Connecting Theory, Research, and Practice. National Research and Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners at WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED674747