[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-411743-105":59,"doc-detail-411743-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","cracking-the-vocabulary-code-in-mathematics-in-the-foundation-phase","Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase","","First-time learners often face mathematics symbols and terminology that function like a foreign language, creating barriers to reading, writing, and clear communication. Although vocabulary issues may be treated as secondary within language and mathematics learning, they are essential to address rather than ignore. The article argues for purposeful vocabulary-focused learning experiences and frames “mathematics vocabulary code cracking” as key pedagogical content knowledge for foundation phase teacher preparation, including content-and-students and content-and-teaching subdomains.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":57,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/general/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/cracking-the-vocabulary-code-in-mathematics-in-the-foundation-phase/411743/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/cracking-the-vocabulary-code-in-mathematics-in-the-foundation-phase/411743.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Eliana","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-20","2026-09-28",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":39},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why do foundation phase learners struggle with mathematics vocabulary?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Mathematics symbols and terminology can resemble a foreign language, with cryptic symbols and unfamiliar terms that hinder reading, writing, and communication.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How does mathematics vocabulary instruction support learning?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Learners must recognise, comprehend, and apply the necessary vocabulary to decode mathematics messages and master mathematical content.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What is the article’s main purpose regarding teaching and teacher preparation?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"It explains learners’ mathematics vocabulary difficulties and outlines vocabulary strategies and techniques, linking them to preservice foundation phase teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},411743,1791124988,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":56,"category_name":57,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":39,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":46,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},4398048949847,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/400002536579ef2da7f?_k=1778318612642679267","Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase  \nAbstract  \nTo children going to school for the first time, the symbols and the vocabulary of mathematics can resemble a foreign language with its seemingly cryptic symbols and unknown terminology. This is a challenge to foundation phase learners’ ability to read, write, and communicate clearly. It might be that problems of vocabulary are considered to be fairly superficial within the whole issue of language and mathematics learning, but it is nevertheless critical that such problems are not ignored in the hope that they will go away. Teachers must be purposeful in constructing learning experiences that direct learners’ attention to specific words and their meaning. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of including mathematics vocabulary code cracking as part of the pedagogical content knowledge, specifically the subdomains of knowledge of content and students, and knowledge of content and teaching, which should be addressed within foundation phase teacher preparation programmes.  \nKeywords: mathematics, vocabulary, strategies, techniques, pedagogical content knowledge  \nCarisma Nel, [North-West University. E-mail:](North-West University. E-mail: Carisma.Nel@nwu.ac.za)[ Carisma.Nel@nwu.ac.za](North-West University. E-mail: Carisma.Nel@nwu.ac.za)  \n[South African Journal of Childhood Education | 2012 2](South African Journal of Childhood Education | 2012 2)([2](2))[: 15-34 |](: 15-34 |) ISSN: 2223-7674 |© UJ  \nIntroduction  \nWhen we think of spies and secret agents, we might think of lots of things; nifty gadgets, foreign travel, dangerous missiles, fast cars and martinis being shaken, but not stirred. We probably wouldn’t think of mathematics or language. But we should. Cracking codes and unravelling the true meaning of secret messages involves loads of mathematics and language.  \nA number of assessment studies in recent years have shown that the educational achievement of learners in South African schools is unacceptably poor. The Department of Education’s (since 2010, the Department of Basic Education) systemic evaluations, conducted in grade 3 (in 2001) show very low levels of literacy and numeracy among learners. Scores for the grade 3 learners averaged 68% for listening comprehension, but only 39% for reading comprehension and writing, and 30% for numeracy (RSA DoE, 2003) . The second cycle of systemic evaluations conducted in 2007 revealed only a limited change in learners’ achievement, namely 36% for literacy and 35% for numeracy. The Annual National Assessments conducted in 2011 indicated that grade 3 learners (across provinces in South Africa) achieved 28% for numeracy and 35% for literacy, while grade 3 learners in the North West Province achieved 21% for numeracy and 30% for literacy (RSA DoBE, 2010) .  \nThe statistics mentioned above seem to indicate that our learners have not yet managed to crack the code of mathematical language. Although mathematics is visual language of symbols and numbers it is also expressed and explained through written and spoken words. For learners to excel in mathematics, they must recognise, comprehend and apply the requisite vocabulary (Aiken, 1972; Monroe & Panchyshyn, 1995; Bay-Williams & Livers, 2009) . Thus, vocabulary instruction is as critical in mathematics as it is in the literacy classroom. Miller (1993, p. 312) states that “without an understanding of the vocabulary that is used routinely in mathematics instruction, textbooks, and word problems, learners are handicapped in their efforts to learn mathematics.” Learners must understand math vocabulary if they are to master content and be able to apply it in future situations (Thompson & Rubenstein, 2000) . Maths teachers should have a vocabulary toolbox filled with gadgets (i.e., strategies and techniques) so that they can help learners crack the vocabulary code necessary to decode the maths message.  \nThe purpose of this article is firstly, t","cbCailWJrFbEvZSL","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailWJrFbEvZSL","pdf",224320,"English","# Introduction\n## Mathematics vocabulary and achievement\n## Vocabulary instruction as a critical need\n# Pedagogical content knowledge: A focus on mathematics vocabulary","[{\"question\":\"Why do foundation phase learners struggle with mathematics vocabulary?\",\"answer\":\"Mathematics symbols and terminology can resemble a foreign language, with cryptic symbols and unfamiliar terms that hinder reading, writing, and communication.\"},{\"question\":\"How does mathematics vocabulary instruction support learning?\",\"answer\":\"Learners must recognise, comprehend, and apply the necessary vocabulary to decode mathematics messages and master mathematical content.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the article’s main purpose regarding teaching and teacher preparation?\",\"answer\":\"It explains learners’ mathematics vocabulary difficulties and outlines vocabulary strategies and techniques, linking them to preservice foundation phase teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge.\"}]","Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase | PDF",1790589500,31]