For many women and girls, mathematics is often the gatekeeper subject that holds them back from pursuing fruitful careers in science and technology. At the Miami Dade Community College Kendall Campus in Florida, Professor Suzanne Smith Austin and a team of English and Mathematics faculty have developed an innovative project that uses language to get students, particularly girls at the middle school and college level, engaged in mathematics. Using a technique called transactional writing, students are asked to break down mathematical concepts into linguistic parts to develop, construct and express their understanding.
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