Frayer Models

I was most interested to see Peter Mattock’s announcement of his project on Frayer models. His website Frayer-Model.co.uk hosts a collection of Frayer Models in the categories Number, Algebra, Geometry and Measure and Statistics and Probability. These models have been created in Microsoft Word ™ so are fully editable.

Frayer Models Peter Mattock
Research has been undertaken on the effectiveness of the Frayer model for mathematics vocabulary instruction. See Effects of Mathematical Vocabulary Instruction on Fourth Grade Students by Eula Ewing Monroe and Michelle R Pendergrass. The paper states that a major implication of the study is that the CD-Frayer model is an effective method for teaching mathematical vocabulary. Note the examples on pages 21-24 illustrating the different models used in the study.

Students could be asked to generate examples and non-examples themselves, I suspect this would generate good discussions, certainly something I intend using this coming academic year. It seems to me that having students think about definitions rather than just been given them will help them remember them; see Daniel Willingham’s What will improve a student’s memory?

Further Reading