Relationship between language & maths

Early Learning Teaching Your Child Math
1

Found this on the web-

Asian people, especially the Chinese, are often particularly good at math because of their language. The system of words used for numbers in Chinese is far more clear and logical than in Indo-European languages. There are Chinese words for the numbers 1-9 ( yi, er, san, si, wu, liu, qi, ba, jiu ), plus multipliers 10 ( shi ), 100 ( bai ), and 10,000 ( wan ). There are no special words for the numbers 11-19 or multiples of ten (20, 30, and so on). Thus 11 is shi yi (ten one). The number 35 is san shi wu (three ten five). Note that the words relate more closely to the symbols, making them easier to understand. Kevin Miller and his colleagues found that four-yearold Chinese children, on average, could count to 40, while American children of the same age could count only to 15. This delay is due to the difficulties with the “teens” numbers, which do not follow the same pattern as other numbers. While American children do eventually catch up, by that time, Chinese children would have had several years more experience handling larger numbers than their American counterparts.

The conciseness of the Chinese number words is also an advantage. Our memory span for a list of numbers relates directly to the length of the words used for those numbers. Native Chinese speakers can routinely remember strings of nine or 10 numbers, whereas native English speakers can only manage six or seven. :slight_smile:

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Yes, having gone to elementary school in Japan, I agree with what you wrote. They had a nice sing-songy way of learning the times tables in Japanese. Each number (1-10) had one sylable and we’d just go through the times table very quickly (ie. go go nijugo - five times five equals twenty). And as you said, the language easily lent itself to a base 10 system (nijugo ni-two ju-ten go-five). Then, we also have a few abacus lessons in school. It is a nice pictoral, tactile way of doing math.

Did I read somewhere that someone did a similar thing for english numbers? That is, assigning each number a sylable so that one could memorize larger numbers easily? I’d be interested if anyone has info on that. :slight_smile:

When I was in Japan, I thought I was behind in math. Then, I moved to America and, lo and behold, I was ahead. :blush:

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I am very interested in this discussion. I really hope to hear more from people on this. Thanks for interesting topic!

Tracey
Canberra, Australia

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Some additional information on memorizing numbers as requested-taken from my earlier post under Shichida.

Details of the Peg System can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic_peg_system

Memorization of numbers — the children practice memorization of a thousand images linked to numbers. Eventually they will be able to recall any number combination using image-association. Presumably this is taught after maths has been mastered.
I couldn’t obtain details about the images taught but imagine that is is similar to the Peg system. This system uses the basic consonant sounds to represent the ten digits: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 0. It is the phonetic sound that matters and it is the sound that represents the numeral. For example, the letters T and D make a similar phonetic sound-one is harder than the other.

1=T,D
2=N
3=M .
4=R
5=L
6=J,SH,CH, soft G
7=K, hard C, hard G
8=F,V,PH
9=P,B
0=S,Z, and soft C

Possible images 1-20: Tie, Noah, Ma, Rye, Law, SHoe, Cow, iVy, Bee, ToeS, ToT, TiN, ToMb, TyRe, ToweL, DiSH, TacK, DoVe, TuB and NoSe.

This system can be used to recall historical dates, telephone numbers etc-an adult or child can easily learn how to recall a 100 digit number forwards or backwards using this method.

  1. Sea 10. Toes 20. Nose 30. Mouse 40. Rose

    1. Hat 11. Dot 21. Net 31. Mat 41. Road

    2. Hen 12. Town 22. Nun 32. Moon 42. Rain

    3. Ham 13. Dime 23. Name 33. Mummy 43. Room

    4. Rye 14. Tire 24. Nero 34. Mower 44. Aurora

    5. Hill 15. Doll 25. Nail 35. Mule 45. Roll

    6. Shoe 16. Tissue 26. Notch 36. Match 46. Rash

    7. Cow 17. Duck 27. Neck 37. Mug 47. Rock

    8. Ivy 18. Taffy 28. Knife 38. Movie 48. Roof

    9. Bee 19. Tape 29. Knob 39. Map 49. Rope

    10. Lace 60. Cheese 70. Gas 80. Fez 90. Bus 00. Susie

    11. Light 61. Sheet 71. Cat 81. Fat 91. Bat 01. Seed

    12. Lion 62. Chain 72. Can 82. Fan 92. Pen 02. Sun

    13. Lime 63. Jam 73. Comb 83. Foam 93. Opium 03. Seam

    14. Lure 64. Cherry 74. Car 84. Fire 94. Bear 04. Sarah

    15. Lily 65. Jello 75. Coal 85. File 95. Bell 05. Seal

    16. Leech 66. Judge 76. Cage 86. Fish 96. Beach 06. Sash

    17. Log 67. Chalk 77. Coke 87. Fog 97. Book 07. Sack

    18. Lava 68. Chef 78. Cave 88. Fife 98. Puff 08. Sofa

    19. Lip 69. Ship 79. Cape 89. Fib 99. Pipe 09. Sap

You can use a different image provided the sounds are appropriate-some possible alternatives to those listed above-
3. Ma 5. Law 12. Tin 13. Tomb 14. Tyre 15. Towel 16. Dish 17. Tack 18. Dove 19. Tub 41. Rod 43. Ram 44. Rower 64. Chair 79. Cap 92. Bone 95. Ball 100. Daises

Chris. :slight_smile:

5

Wow Chris! That is very helpful. :smiley:
Have you are anyone else used this technique to help with memorization? I’d love to hear any experiences with how it was learned and how it was applied. Thanks again Chris! K to you.

6

Very interesting! Yes, the number system used in Chinese (and I think other Oriental languages like Japanese and Korean) is very simple and ‘logical’ like Chris pointed out. It’s incredible that the ‘teens’ in English (and other Western languages) could make such a significant difference to children!

As for memory systems, I heard of Tony Buzan’s mind maps, but only came across the memory pegging system over the past couple of years. I first came across it through Shichida. I later read about it from Derren Brown’s book (Derren Brown is the UK’s answer to David Blaine, sort of, except I think the things he does are much more interesting (to me anyway). One of his great abilities is the ability to memorize large chunks of stuff, and he says memory pegging is one of the methods he uses.)

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Hi THen,

This link http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9NROegsMqNc should provide you with enough information to apply the system.

Hope that you find it interesting.

Chris.

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Yep, that’s pretty much the same method outlined by Darren Brown, and what I saw was being done in a Shichida class. I think they call it memory-pegging?

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Thank you Chris. I like the video clip. I think that will be very helpful for me and the boys.

Now, I just need to figure out how to practically teach the older boys the math pegging. I’ll ponder on it and figure out what step to take first. Should I teach them the sounds first, or just start with the pictures? That might help them learn the sounds, too, right?

10

Hi THen,

I guess it depends on their age. I found that learning the initial 10 enabled me to work out the others if an image didn’t immediately come to mind.

It is probably easier to use pictures with younger children and babies. Older children find it easier to follow the instruction to visualize the required image. With babies it is probably best to use pictures to construct Silly Stories. Shichida uses this method to develop an ability to visualize and link images.

http://www.acceleratedlearningmethods.com/memory-linking.html

Books by Harry Lorrayne cover the various systems in detail and the library might have a copy.

Chris.

11

Thanks Chris!

I have both, older and younger. :blink:
I’ll look for that book, too.

Thanks again! :slight_smile:

12

Up till a few days ago, I’ve been teaching numbers to my baby in English. After reading this post, which made so much sense to me, I started focusing more on speaking Chinese, especially when it comes to numbers. I’ve added these downloads:

Numbers Chinese (red dots) 11-15
http://forum.brillkids.com/downloads/?sa=view;id=3432

Numbers Chinese (red dots) 16-20
http://forum.brillkids.com/downloads/?sa=view;id=3433

Joan

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Thanks to Chris, after reading your post i think i should reconsider teaching my baby Maths by using Chinese as well. But i did worry he will only know the number in Chinese instead of English. Coz we did teach the baby wave his hand & shake hand in Chinese, but wheneven our friend want to play with our baby and talk to him in English he have no response to them at all.

14

Multiplier and the multiplicand?

The number which is multiplied is the multiplicand.

If you say 5X3 are you saying that a set of 5 things is added together 3 times (5+5+5) or a set of 3 things is added together 5 times (3+3+3+3+3)? By convention, the first number (multiplicand) is the size of the set and the second number (multiplier) is the times the set is repeated. So, 5X3 means 5 things added together 3 times (5+5+5).

0x2 2 sets of 0 0+0
1x2 2 sets of 1 1+1
3x2 2 sets of 3 3+3
4x2 2 sets of 4 4+4

The above convention is not always followed and is likely to be a source of confusion.

Chris.

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I’ve been looking for such a thread, thanks for sharing, chris!

i do disagree with the cause of the findings, though. i think it has less to do with the sound, per se, of the words, and more to do with the fact that the culture finds it commonplace to expose children to numbers.

personal experience with joey - he didn’t get into chinese until this past month or so, passively - thanks to mickey.

he’s been counting to 10 in eng, span & fren since just over a year - same with his parts of the body. we stopped reinforcing with him, due to complications with our second pregnancy and birth recovery, but at 30 months he’s still quite familiar with 1 - 100 forwards and backwards, as well as with the multiples of tens up to a billion.

i do think that a simpler language structure that encourages numbers DOES help, but i don’t believe that this is the primary reason for why 4 year olds in the US are ‘behind’ compared to asian children. i think it’s just from a cultural lack of support in this subject. :-/ shame too, because just about ALL the preschoolers are quite capable of taking this in, regardless of language … that’s my belief, anyway.

16

I agree with queriquita. Asians tend to value early learning. Americans tend to think that early learning is harmful. That will obviously impact academic performance later on.

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I’ll pass on all the comments on the mind maps & all, but I HAD to comment on the CHinese learning math better than Americans lol (even though it’s past midnight for me)

I am a math teacher by profession & I am living and teaching (not math :slight_smile: )in China, & i know chinese system of education.very well
(I don’t want to sound like I know it all, & I don’t want to put a wet blanket on the findings of ppl workign from a different perspective, just to share my experience:-) .)The reason chinese learn math better than americans is NOT because of the language , but because of the expectations & the amount of input these kids get ( btw, when you get into larger numbers, it’s really confusing, they use a four digit system, MUCH harder to work with) - in American schools they still cut & paste in second grade & add to 20?, in chinese schools in the second grade they are given a week to have the whole times tables pat down, whatever the cost & they see no daylight if they don’t, they spend every break in a 7:30 AM TO 4:30 pM school day doing drills until they do have it down. Chinese kids are in additional classes & grueling homework every evening & weekend! In summer they all sign-up for TONS of extra classes!!! My work quadripples during holidays! If American or any language kids did the amount of the the chinese kids do - I have no doubt they’d have no trouble calculating lol
Another thing - a lot of their math learing is done with very little understanding, but mainly by rote memorization & in-humane drill work (i heard Japan is very similiar? is that true?)

I know for sure in Russian,where they produce some of the greatest mathematical minds & the requirements are very high in schools, they have no problems with math learing :wink:

now that i got it out :wub: … i don’t think it’s fair to compare the very relaxed, laid back, take-it-slow, creative American system of education & the Chinese grueling drilling - you get what you pay for :yes: :wink:

I see first hand how bad the chinese kids are hurt through their system, because their creative & problem-solving abilities are seriously impaired; but I veyr strongly believe our little ones can know & learn so much more! There are beautiful resources ( I personally really liked what I saw of the Jones Genius, Abacus programs are a great tool, etc.) & we really should give our kids much. much more than the public school system does, in a much warmer (psycologically/spiritually) & logical/practical, & deeper way (intellectually). it really pays off - speakign from personal experince with some of my “babies” in high school

God bless you, dear dedicated parents out there, I really admire you!!!

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Hi happymomof5,

I am unsure how Chinese parents teach their kids, perhaps as you mentioned by way of rote memory…that said, since you mentioned abacus, and I am using abacus with my daughter, I would say abacus is another kind of grueling math exercise if you want to call it, besides, abacus too emphasized a lot on rote memory…

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abacus is built on deep understanding & working with place values, very logical - all are an excellent foundation for good math skills later in life
abacus, although a lot of practice, also involves the body & action - the best way to teach young kids, involving their whole’s

In any learning drill work is required, but there is a difference when it’s done with understanding

20

happymomof5,

Yes, I could’t agree more with you on the idea that abacus is built on deep understanding and working with place value…because I think that should be the ways too…I recalled the sum of 20x3, I first taught my daughter she has 3 20s, so makes up to 60, but her abacus teacher would tell her first count how many digits, in this case 3 digits, so makes up to hundred place, but because 3x2 is 6, less than 10, so you need to stir the beads at tens place instead of hundred place…I abhor this kind of math thinking skill because it doesn’t make the child thinks why it is not so…that comes the issue of what you had just mentioned in your last comment " lack of creativity" in math solving skill, something that I spotted too,… that said, I still expose her to abacus is because since she has been using mental maths so well, so I think it is no harm to use other system such as abacus to prove a sum …abacus teaches vector ( negatives) and abacus can solve millions and millions of big numbers, but ironically abacus can’t solve the sum such as 1-2 when other simple and straight forward method abled to…