How does this relate to what I already know?

There are two sets of things that your student needs to relate to each day's class.

1. What have I already learned in math that today's lesson builds upon?
2. What do I know about the world to which I can apply today's lesson?

Relating to other math

Since math lessons are designed to build upon prior knowledge, the first is easier. Here are some ideas that can help:

1. Look at the last two lessons in the math text and have your student tell you what the new lesson adds to the prior lessons.
2. Ask your student what they already know that makes the new knowledge possible. Most students will have difficulty articulating this, so be ready to ask a lot of questions that might lead the student to conclusions.

Relating to the student's world

Relating math to the world can be difficult, but it is also the best way for any math student to remember and be able to apply math in life, not just the classroom. Here are some ways to help your student make these connections

1. Most math books in use in today's classroom contain connections to the real world. One of the problems with this is that students' personal interests vary, so one connection may not affect your student the same way another might.

   Start by reading the connections in your student's math book. Then think about the world the student is familiar with. Does the connection from the book fit into your student's world? If yes, then use it. If not, see if it suggests something in your student's world that uses similar math.

2. Ask your student about something in their world that relates to the day's math lesson. Discuss with them the mathematics involved at get them to construct a math question relating to that.