Math reading is an effective path to cultivate students’ mathematical core literacy in the primary school. Based on the three elements of core mathematical literacy (i.e. math vision

math thinking

and math language

this paper starts from the mathematical reading course and puts forward three ways to cultivate students’ core literacy in math reading: (1) understanding and exploring the reading content from the perspective of mathematics; (2) understanding and explaining the reading content from the perspective of rationality; (3) describing and communicating the reading content from the perspective of sharing.