Mathematics and Communication

Mathematics and communication have a strong relationship nowadays. Mathematics

can be a main subject in schools and also a platform to improve communication skills. Based
on this theme, I have chosen two articles which specifically writing about “How Mathematics
develops communication skills among student” by Kay Toliver and Madihah Khalid. These
articles are talking about this topics internally based on the writer’s experience and the
research done. All the articles were taken from internet from a trusted websites. Other than
that, I chose them because it contains all the details that I need. Thus, I can easily review on
them. Moreover, people especially students always judge mathematics as a difficult subject
and feel stress to learn it. I would like to change the perception because mathematics is not
only a main subject but also can be used to improve communication skills among students.

Based on the articles, there are many aspects and ways suggested on how
mathematics develops communication skills. First of all, I am highlighting on the similarities
of these articles. Both articles state that communication skills can be improved by explaining
the answers of the problem given in the class. In fact, together with mathematical thinking,
the ability to communicate findings and provide explanation is increase. Besides, I also
agree with the point given in both articles which encourage students to speak up by
conversational interaction in the class. During mathematics class, surely there are questions
to answer. Therefore, it is the time where we can make an interaction among us to find the
most accurate answer. Discussion and oral presentation will help to develop communication
skills. I experienced this too when I was still a student in secondary school. My teacher
always asked me to make a group discussion to solve certain problems before present the
findings to the class. Because of this excellent way, my confidence level increase day by day
by learning mathematics.

Although these two articles are talking about the same topic, but there are also some
difference ideas from the writers. Madihah Khalid and her partner, Mohd Khairul Amilin
Tengah stress more on language used in mathematics to improved communication skills
whenever Kay Toliver only focus on the communication language either in English or other
language. I agree with Kay Toliver because the use of mathematics in developing
communication skills do not affect by its language. Other than that, Madihah Khalid and her
member mentioned that communication in mathematics can be in the form of argumentation
where it involves knowing what mathematical proofs are. However, the other writer uses
discussion to solve problem and make a proof. Besides, one of the articles chose also stress
on the role of teachers in school as a facilitator. The differences show that there are many
ways to use mathematics to develop communication skills.

These two articles are very good articles where they give very effective ways on how
to use mathematics to improve communication skills especially among students. Thus, as a
teacher trainee, I can use the suggested ways to help my student’s communication skills in
the future. Moreover, the languages used in both articles make the readers easy to
understand the content and review them. The strength of article written by Kay Toliver is it is
written based on her own experience and from various trusted sources over the years. It
makes me more confident to use all the contents in the article to be reviewed. Not only that,
article by Madihah Khalid and Mohd Khairul Amilin also has its own usefulness. It shows
specific information including the components of mathematical communication to develop
and the explanation why do we focus on mathematical communication. These information
make me think analytically to review it.

Besides, I also can brand the articles as very relevant. This is because the writers
really prove it before with their own experience, references and also by doing research. The
information given can be used to all readers especially teachers and students to make it as a
practice in order to increase confidence level and communication skills. If every people read
these articles and notice what are inside mathematics except calculating and exercises, they
will surely change perception about how useless to learn mathematics. Inversely,
mathematics will become a very important subject not only for academic but also for
communication skills.

In conclusion, we can see that mathematics can be used as a platform to improve

student’s performance in class. Based on my own experience, if we always talk in front of
many people, we will feel safe to talk later on. With high level of confidence in ourselves, it
will be easy for us to talk spontaneously without facing problem of communication.
Therefore, in the classroom, teachers play a big role in encouraging and determining the
success of communication in any class.