Consider integrating mathematics and writing instruction by explicitly promoting transfer of shared language and cognitive skills¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 1 study (1 quant-synthesis), q4 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

Based on the finding that mathematics and writing are substantially related (r = 0.48) and rely on shared language and cognitive skills, the authors suggest that "instruction that explicitly promotes the transfer of language and cognitive and meta-cognitive skills within the contexts of mathematics and writing could potentially enhance students' learning outcomes more effectively than separate and disconnected instruction in these subjects." They note this aligns with curricula emphasizing communicating mathematical reasoning through writing, and cite a recent systematic review associating mathematics writing instruction with positive outcomes. The authors caution that because the meta-analysis is correlational, practical implications are limited and preliminary.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Recognition that mathematics and writing draw on a shared set of language and cognitive skills when designing curricula and instruction

Constraints¶

• The meta-analysis is correlational, so the authors state the practical implications are limited and should be considered preliminary

Target Learners¶

• students across grade levels, kindergarten through Grade 12 and beyond

Target Learning Goals¶

• mathematics skills and writing skills, including communicating mathematical problem-solving processes and reasoning through writing

Affordances¶

• Diew Dynamic Relations Writing Model

Claims¶

• Mathematics and writing skills are moderately correlated overall (r = 0.48) across 211 studies [+W]
• The mathematics–writing correlation is stronger in primary grades (r = 0.52) than in university and beyond (r = 0.30) [+W]
• In primary grades, lower order writing and lower order mathematics skills show the strongest relation (r = 0.59); in adulthood the higher order pair is weak (r = 0.26) [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Include explicit transfer instructions discussing how trained strategies could apply to new tasks to promote transfer of metacognitive training

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Young-Suk Grace Kim, Dandan Yang, Jinkyung Hwang. (2024). Are Mathematics and Writing Skills Related? Evidence from Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09960-4