2.++Challenges+facing+ELLs+in+Mathematics

=__Key Issues and Challenges ELL Students Face in Mathematics__=



In this section, we will discuss the many challenges facing ELL students like Ambigeswari in relation to Mathematics. Ambigeswari faces the typical challenges of a newcomer trying to settle into her new life. She is suddenly displaced from her familiar world in Sri Lanka, and tries to understand a different school culture. In addition, she is lacking in English language proficiency and was an average student in Mathematics. Although she has had prior educational experience in Sri Lanka, and has received mathematics instruction, this was in a teacher-centric traditional classroom model and emphasis was on the teacher being the provider of knowledge and the student the recipient. Students from traditional education settings, “may be accustomed to simple rote memorization and not used to reaching their own conclusions or forming their own opinions, much less expressing them” (Law & Eckes, p. 269).

"Many educators share the misconception that because it uses symbols, mathematics is not associated with any language or culture and is ideal for facilitating the transition of recent immigrant students into English instruction" (Garrison cited by Melanese, Chung & Forbes). In fact, language learning is critical in developing mathematical abilities. There are many challenges that ELL students face specific to Mathematics. In particular, ELLs often struggle or fail in areas where they need to develop language proficiency, such as in solving word problems, following instructions and understanding and using Math vocabulary correctly. "The syntax of word problems - pronouns, prepositions, reversals, conditional sentences, and passive voices - makes them more difficult for ELLs to understand. Abstractions, multiple meanings, and embedded concepts also make understanding the language of mathematics difficult." (R4 Educated Solutions, p. 26)

In order to understand and discuss math in the classroom students must understand the “language of math” or math register, that is, language specific to mathematics. Understanding of math register is made more challenging due to three factors. Firstly, ELL students not only translate between their L1 and L2, but also between both sets of social and academic languages as well as use the specialized symbols, technical language and unique grammar used in math. Secondly, while some math vocabulary is high frequency (social language, everyday) and general (academic terms like describe, combine) the math register contains a variety of specialized (number, angle) and technical vocabulary (quadratic equations, mode, perfect numbers) that are specific to math discussion. Students must use all four vocabulary types during math conversation as well as quantitative and linking phrases that express relationships. Thirdly, there are some grammatical structures and language patterns that affect understanding of concepts, for example, a math sentence can’t be read in the same way as narrative text. In our case, Ambigeswari needs to develop mathematical knowledge while learning the language of instruction. Law & Eckes cite Short and Crandall, stating that “research has shown that... integrating language and content is more effective than simply learning language and only then trying to learn content”. (p. 267) Content provides real meaning, not just structures of language that are abstractions and may seem to be of little value to the learner

Certain mathematical terms are made up of common words such that "the meaning of the combination of words is different from the sum of the separate definitions", such as composite number, place value and greatest common denominator (R4 Educated Solutions, p. 12). Mathematics text is often very compact, or dense, having a amount of conceptual information and often requires students to be able to read horizontally, vertically and sometimes diagonally. Problem solving in mathematics becomes even more difficult for ELLs "if the problems involve unfamiliar content and terminology (for example, sports terms) that must be decoded before the problem can be tackled" (Ministry of Education, p.28)

Teachers should not assume that if an ELL student has had prior educational experience in Mathematics that they will be able to succeed in a Canadian mathematics classroom. While many students may arrive having some experience of math in their first language or country, this was likely in a very traditional “teacher led” model which explained how to solve the problem. New practice, however, asks students to not only get the right answer, but explain how they did so. As we create classrooms that focus on “problem solving, reasoning and communication we need students to be able to “talk math” to explain their reasoning (Slavit & Ernst-Slavit, para. 2). Haynes reports that the problem is "compounded because many ELLs have gaps in their mathematics content background due to sporadic attendance or prior education under a curriculum vastly different than that in ... Canada (cited by R4 Educated Solutions, p. 12). So for many ELLs, they must learn the mathematical concepts, but also the vocabulary and the structure of the language. Furthermore, "low language ability makes it difficult to measure mathematics achievement since the test measures language as well as content" (R4 Educated Solutions, p.12).

Haynes states that mathematics is often a big challenge for ELLs, because they may use different recording systems than [the Canadian system does]” (cited by Law & Eckes, p. 269). For example, Canadian Anglophones use decimal points where certain countries and Canadian Francophones use commas. Educal.net lists a few countries that use a comma or a dot for decimal points; Fortunately for us Ambigeswari coming from Sri Lanka uses the dot for decimal points. Nevertheless, the teacher should not assume that she has already worked with decimal numbers and a diagnostic test might reveal some of her previous knowledge of mathematics.

In Quebec, as in many countries, the dollar sign is placed after the amount e.g. $30.53 can be written 30,53 $. In Germany for example, division is signified by the colon symbol whereas in Canada it is used almost exclusively for ratios. The way numbers are formed is also different in different languages, take French for example, 92 would be 4 x 20 + 12 “quatre vingt douze", or in German for the number 92, one would say “zwei und neunzig” which translates to “2 and 90”. ELLs in this situations often have difficulties with numbers because they would write the numbers in the order in which they are familiar with i.e. 29 rather than 92 in German. In some cases, ELLs from certain countries may not be familiar with the metric system as they may have been using the imperial system of measurements.

__**References:**__

Melanese, K., Chung, L. & Forbes, C. (2011). //Supporting English Language Learners in Math Class, Grades 6-8//. Sausalito, CA: Scholastics Inc.

Ministry of Education of Ontario. (2005). //Many Roots, Many Voices.// Queen's Printer for Ontario.

R4 Educated Solutions. (2010). //Making Math Accessible to English Language Learners: Practical Tips and Suggestions, Grades 6-8.// Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Slavit, David and Ernst-Slavit, Gisela... “Teaching Mathematics and English to English Language Learners Simultaneously.” Middle School Journal 39.2 (November 2007): 4-11. Print.

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