Four Broad Language Families From simplest to most sophisticated, we speak mathematics in concrete, pictorial, written, and verbal terms. Within each of these broad families are similar, overlapping, languages.
Many teachers use a language from each group in everyday math class communication.
Many teachers use predominantly the spoken family. Many use predominantly the spoken and written families. This text lists and examines the use of each language family, the languages in the group, the interrelations between them and suggestions for maximal language use. If you read the above paragraph, the message was not communicated or received in the same way as if you were the one listening to the paragraph being read. Listening is different from reading.