The Reading and Math Achievement Connection

Is It A Math Issue or a Reading Issue?

When I talk with people about learning challenges, especially younger students, I often hear a disconnect between reading and math. Most of the time, especially early on, it’s reading that’s the challenge, not math.

We all have strengths and challenges; some subjects capture our interest more than others. However, reading difficulties will likely eventually impact all academic content, including math.

Although few formal studies have been done on the connection between reading and math achievement, there is a consensus about reading ability having an impact on math assessment results and problem-solving. Several articles point out that the language in math texts is often well above the grade level of concepts shared. Math books also frequently introduce new vocabulary. The use of similar terms like subtract and take away can confuse learners.

This happens when synonyms are not clearly defined and are used interchangeably during lessons. Math problems often present information out of context, requiring students to assess and understand a situation with limited information.

Math Problems Are Like Stories

Most math problems are mini-stories: facts or details without elaboration. Sometimes they are incomplete, requiring ­the reader to interpret important details to draw conclusions or work backward, using the ending to determine missing information. Sometimes they contain unnecessary details that can complicate or hinder understanding, especially for a struggling reader.

Coping mechanisms like searching for keywords, scanning a problem for numbers, and using the current operation studied to combine or separate them can backfire on assessments. Many problems include keywords such as red herrings. Shortcuts are often ineffective when solving multi-step problems or assignments targeting multiple skills.

Making Connections

Beginning reading instruction focuses on introducing story structure (characters, setting, problem, and solution). This provides students with a familiar schema or framework to help interpret and organize information. It is eventually followed by strategies such as sequencing, making connections, rereading, identifying the main idea, using context clues, reasoning, and note-taking. A similar approach can be applied when reading about math concepts, reviewing assignments or test instructions, or solving word problems.

Try sharing a word problem with your child. Focus on the details and main idea before considering the next steps. Discuss the structure and how the information provided can be used to determine the problem. Then, make a plan together for solving it.

Making connections is valuable in math and reading. Word problems often involve familiar subject matter, which allows students to visualize the problem, improving comprehension and recall. Recognizing a concept’s real-world application can also help students identify the correct operation or problem-solving step and draw attention to how often they use or observe others using math outside of the classroom.

Encourage your child to reread when necessary or take notes on important information needed to solve a problem. Reviewing directions or problems after finding the solution is important to see if the ending or conclusion answers the question posed and/or makes sense based on the information given.

Apply Reading Strategies to Math

Reading difficulties will likely impact math comprehension and achievement, especially as students get older and the content becomes more challenging. Encourage your child to try this approach. Talk through task directions and problem content and summarize the information given and asked. Understanding and anticipating reading-related challenges in a math setting can help avoid frustration.

When available, accommodations, like extended time or having directions read aloud, can help achieve achievement. It is also valuable to explore literature’s role in presenting difficult concepts. Books like Eating Fractions, The Greedy Triangle, Bennies Pennies, or The Doorbell Rang are just a few titles for early learners that illustrate this.

Stories can bring a concept to life and leave a lasting impression, creating that connection. As with all learning challenges, being proactive and providing interventions and strategies early on can lead to success later.

If you have concerns about your child’s reading, check out reading milestones and warning signs here. If reading is fine, but math is the issue, check out our math interventions here.