Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Learning Mathematics When Students Are New to Schooling and New to English

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Teaching and Learning Secondary School Mathematics

Part of the book series: Advances in Mathematics Education ((AME))

  • 2578 Accesses

Abstract

Teaching mathematics to students who are new to schooling and new to English, such as, in particular, refugee arrivals in Canada, is particularly challenging. In this chapter, we describe some aspects of our work with a group of teachers at a Catholic school in Toronto, in which we collaborated to find ways to support the many such students in the school. The chapter includes an overview of key ELL mathematics learning principles arising from research, mathematics classroom learning examples that illustrate these principles, and discussion of school-wide strategies. Examples include activities designed to support both mathematics and language learning in relation to the topics of multiplicative and proportional reasoning, and money.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barwell, R. (2005). Working on arithmetic word problems when English is an additional language. British Educational Research Journal, 31(3), 329–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barwell, R. (2009). Mathematics in multilingual classrooms: Global perspectives. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barwell, R. (2012). Heteroglossia in multilingual mathematics classrooms. In H. Forgasz & F. Rivera (Eds.), Towards equity in mathematics education: Gender, culture and diversity (pp. 315–332). Heidelberg: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Barwell, R., Clarkson, P., Halai, A., Kazima, M., Moschkovich, J., Planas, N., Setati Phakeng, M., Valero, P., & Villavicencio Ubillús, M. (Eds.). (2016). Mathematics education and language diversity: The 21st ICMI study. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarkson, P. C. (2007). Australian Vietnamese students learning mathematics: High ability bilinguals and their use of their languages. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 64(2), 191–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarkson, P. C. (2009). Mathematics teaching in Australian multilingual classrooms: Developing an approach to the use of classroom languages. In R. Barwell (Ed.), Multilingualism in mathematics classrooms: Global perspectives (pp. 145–160). Bristol: Multilingual Matters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clements, D., & Sarama, J. (2014). Learning and teaching early math: The learning trajectories approach (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, J. (2000). Language, power and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, B., & Renert, M. (2014). The math teachers know: Profound understanding of emergent mathematics. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawe, L. (1983). Bilingualism and mathematical reasoning in English as a second language. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 14(4), 325–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). (2014). Grade 9 assessment of mathematics 2014: Released assessment questions. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khisty, L. (1995). Making inequality: Issues of language and meanings in mathematics teaching with Hispanic students. In W. G. Secada, E. Fennema, & L. B. Adajian (Eds.), New directions for equity in mathematics education (pp. 279–297). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapkin, S., Hart, D., & Turnbull, M. (2003). Grade 6 French immersion students’ performance on large-scale reading, writing, and mathematics tests: Building explanations. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 49(1), 6–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesh, R., Post, T., & Behr, M. (1988). Proportional reasoning. In J. Hiebert & M. Behr (Eds.), Number concepts and operations in the middle grades (pp. 93–118). Reston: Lawrence Erlbaum & National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moschkovich, J. N. (1999). Supporting the participation of English language learners in mathematical discussions. For the Learning of Mathematics, 19(1), 11–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moschkovich, J. N. (2009). How language and graphs support conversation in a bilingual mathematics classroom. In R. Barwell (Ed.), Multilingualism in mathematics classrooms: Global perspectives (pp. 78–96). Bristol: Multilingual Matters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moschkovich, J. N. (Ed.). (2010). Language and mathematics education: Multiple perspectives and directions for research. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moschkovich, J. N. (2013). Principles and guidelines for equitable mathematics teaching practices and materials for English language learners. Journal of Urban Mathematics Education, 6(1), 45–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moss, J., Hawes, Z., Naqvi, S., & Caswell, B. (2015). Adapting Japanese Lesson Study to enhance the teaching and learning of geometry and spatial reasoning in early years classrooms: A case study. ZDM Mathematics Education, 47, 377–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ontario Ministry of Education. (2005). The Ontario curriculum, Grades 1–8: Mathematics. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/math18curr.pdf

  • Ontario Ministry of Education. (2011). Bansho (board-writing). Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ontario Ministry of Education. (2012). Paying attention to proportional reasoning K-12. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

    Google Scholar 

  • Planas, N. (2014). One speaker, two languages: Learning opportunities in the mathematics classroom. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 87(1), 51–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Setati, M. (2005). Teaching mathematics in a primary multilingual classroom. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 36(5), 447–466.

    Google Scholar 

  • Setati, M., & Adler, J. (2001). Between languages and discourses: Code switching practices in primary classrooms in South Africa. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 43, 243–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Small, M. (2013). Powerpoint presentation. Toronto, ON.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swain, M. (2000). The output hypothesis and beyond: Mediating acquisition through collaborative dialogue. In J. Lantolf (Ed.), Sociocultural theory and second language learning (pp. 97–114). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2005). The evolving socio-political context of immersion education in Canada: Some implications for program development. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 15(2), 169–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sztajn, P., Confrey, J., Wilson, P. H., & Edgington, C. (2012). Learning trajectory based instruction: Toward a theory of teaching. Educational Researcher, 41(5), 147–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thames, M. H., & Ball, D. L. (2010). What math knowledge does teaching require? Teaching Children Mathematics, 17(4), 22–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turnbull, M., Lapkin, S., & Hart, D. (2001). Grade 3 immersion students’ performance in literacy and mathematics: Province-wide results from Ontario (1998–99). The Canadian Modern Language Review/La revue canadienne des langues vivantes, 58(1), 9–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the educators at the school – Tom Brega (ELL), Patricia De Marco (ELL), Marilena Graziosi (grade 8), Lauren Grossi (grade 6), Francesca Lisi (Kindergarten) and Lucas Vetta (math coach), as well as Miranda Kus (math consultant) for their collaborative study and tireless classroom work in order to improve the mathematics learning conditions for ELL learners.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Richard Barwell

  2. York University, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Kathryn Kubota-Zarivnij

  3. Havergal College, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Kathryn Kubota-Zarivnij

  4. Toronto Catholic District School Board, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Debby Culotta

Authors
  1. Richard Barwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kathryn Kubota-Zarivnij
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Debby Culotta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard Barwell .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

    Ann Kajander

  2. Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada

    Jennifer Holm

  3. College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    Egan J Chernoff

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Barwell, R., Kubota-Zarivnij, K., Culotta, D. (2018). Learning Mathematics When Students Are New to Schooling and New to English. In: Kajander, A., Holm, J., Chernoff, E. (eds) Teaching and Learning Secondary School Mathematics. Advances in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92390-1_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92390-1_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-92389-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-92390-1

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation