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4.1 Using word webs
This part of the Literacy in mathematics resource focuses on developing pupils’ use
of mathematical vocabulary. In this section you will find ideas for using word webs as
a tool for helping pupils both understand and correctly spell mathematical words.
Why use word webs?
Pupils often struggle with remembering the meanings of mathematical words. Word
webs help to identify patterns in words through attention to word roots (often from
Latin or Greek). This in turn helps with understanding meaning and aids spelling.
How do you construct a word web?
Start from the roots of the word and list words with the same root. The word web is
constructed by taking a single word from each list to create a new list.
For example, starting with POLYGON, the following word web could be constructed.
A word web for POLYGON
Other words sharing the same root poly are: polynomial, polysyllabic, polyanthus,
polyglot, polythene, polyhedron. Other words sharing the suffix, gon, are: pentagon,
hexagon, heptagon, goniometer, octagon. Pupils could list these words sharing the
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Teaching and Learning Resources p.2
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suffix gon, which ends with the word octagon, then start another list beginning with
the root oct such as octopus, octahedron, octave, October. The purpose of the list is
to draw attention to the number of words sharing the same root which can be picked
out visually in the list, for example by the use of bold.
The meanings of the roots (poly, gon, oct and hedron) can then be researched:
•
•
•
•
poly means many
gon means angle
hedron means face of a geometrical shape
oct means eight.
You could create some word webs of your own, starting with words such as bisect,
circumference, equilateral, centimetre, triangle. It may be helpful to have a dictionary
available for reference.
What else is available?
This is one of a set of pages covering aspects of developing the use of mathematical
vocabulary in mathematics:
• 4 Using mathematical vocabulary
• 4.2 Strategies for helping pupils spell accurately
• 4.3 Activities to develop mathematical vocabulary
Also available are other parts of Literacy in mathematics:
• 1 Using talk in mathematics
• 2 Reading in mathematics
• 3 Writing in mathematics
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