english language learners in the mathematics classroom
TRANSCRIPT
English Language Learners in the
Mathematics Classroom
Did you know?Did you know?
There are sixty-six native languages, other than English, spoken by students in some school districts.
Language DiversityLanguage Diversity Three in four English Language Learners’ first language
is Spanish.
Other languages spoken by public school children include Vietnamese, Hmong, Cantonese, Korean, Haitian, Creole, Arabic, Russian, Tagalog, Navajo, Khmer, Mandarin, Portuguese, Urdu, Serbo-Croatian, Lao, Japanese, Punjabi, Armenian, Polish, French and Hindi.
Crawford, James (2004). Educating English Learners: Language Diversity in the Classroom. Los Angeles, CA: Bilingual Education Services.
Newcomers TodayNewcomers Today 30.1% Mexico
27.3% from Asia
23% from other Latin American countries
13.1% Europe
2.2% North America (Canada, Greenland, etc.)
0.6% Oceania
(Migration Policy Institute, 2008 found at www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/state.ctm?IOD=US)
Hispanics/Latinos in Hispanics/Latinos in the United Statesthe United States
The United States has the second largest Spanish speaking population in the world. More than 53 million Hispanics/Latinos in the
U.S.(Pew Hispanic Center, 2010). Come from every Spanish speaking nation in the
world. The majority of Hispanics in the United Sates
(66%) identify as Mexican, Mexican-American or Chicano (2006).
The majority of Hispanics/Latinos live in 5 states.
7
States with the greatest States with the greatest
population of Hispanics/Latinos population of Hispanics/Latinos
(PEW, 2008)(PEW, 2008)
State Population 2008 Population 2000
California 13,434,896 10,928,470
Texas 8,815,582 6,653,338
Florida 3,846,267 2,673,654
New York 3,232,360 2,854,991
Arizona 1,964,625 1,292,152
Fuente: U.S. Census Bureau, Estimados demográficos, Julio 1, 2006
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Distribution of Distribution of Hispanics/Latinos by age Hispanics/Latinos by age
and genderand genderDistribution of population by gender
Age (years) Masculine % de Hispanics Femenine % de Hispanics
< 18 years of age 7,845,751 17.3 7,486,235 16.5
> 18 years of age 15,506,157 34.4 14,437 31.8
Distribution of population under 18 years of age< 5 years of age 2,506,434 5.5 2,388,003 5.3
5 to 9 years of age 2,111,113 4.7 2,041,303 4.5
10 to 14 years of age 2,038,884 4.4 1,941,531 4.3
15 to 19 years of age 1,982,738 4.4 1,846,811 4.1
Hispanics/Latinos in U.S. Schools (K-Hispanics/Latinos in U.S. Schools (K-
12)12)
The number of Hispanic/Latino students has doubled in the last 15 years.
There are approximately 10 million Hispanic/Latino students in the K-12.
One in five public school students in the United States is Hispanic/Latino.
By 2040, the U.S. Census Bureau has projected that there will be more Hispanic/Latino children in U.S. schools than non-Hispanic/Latino children.
Use of the Spanish Use of the Spanish LanguageLanguage
By youth under the age of 18
U.S. Born – approximately 70% speak Spanish in their homes
Foreign born– more than 90% speak Spanish at home
Reflection Reflection Let’s pause for 10 minutes and take some time to reflect on
what this information means for our K-12 mathematics classrooms.
Each of you has a different colored paper in front of you. On that piece of paper write down
1) 2 things that you have learned, &
2) 1 question that you have
Find the person who has the same colored paper as you and discuss your thoughts.
BREAK
PLEASE BE BACK IN 10 MINUTES
Share out discussion
What has been the What has been the response to linguistic response to linguistic
diversity in the U.S. K-12 diversity in the U.S. K-12 classroom?classroom?
Objectives of Bilingual EducaObjectives of Bilingual Educationtion
Not allow students to fall behind in academics
because of lack of command of English.
Gradually learn English as a second language.
Ease the transition from the native language to
English through subjects.
Offer more opportunity for academic success
through ease of transition into English.
Models Of Bilingual Education Models Of Bilingual Education
English immersion
Transitional bilingual education
Maintenance bilingual education
Two-way bilingual education – Dual Language
Immersion
English as a second language (ESL)
ImmersionImmersion
Instruction is entirely in English.
All subject content and communication is
conducted in English.
There is no instructional support for native
language.
Transitional and Maintenance Transitional and Maintenance
models models
Instruction for some subjects is in the
students’ native language but a certain
amount of each day is spent on
developing English skills.
Classes are made up of students who
share the same native language.
One-way or Two-Way ImmersionOne-way or Two-Way Immersion
Instruction is given in two languages.
Teachers usually team teach.
This approach is also called dual
language immersion.
English as a Second Language (ESL)English as a Second Language (ESL)
May be the same as immersion but also may include
some support to individuals in their native tongue.
Typically classes are comprised of students who
speak different languages but are not fluent in
English.
Students may attend classes for only a period a day,
to work strictly on English skills, or attend for a full
day and focus both on academics and English.
Arguments Against Bilingual Arguments Against Bilingual
EducationEducation
Keeps students in a cycle of native
language dependency.
Costly
Ineffective compared to the amount
of money invested
Is not systematized
Massachusetts 2002 mid-year referendum Question 2
Arizona Proposition 203 – similar to California proposition. Implemented fall 2001.
California Proposition 227 – approved in 1998 by California voters to basically eliminate bilingual education. Most LEP students are now in immersion programs.*
ReflectionReflection How does Moises’ (the boy in the movie) resemble
students in the schools in which you are teaching/working?
How do you and the teachers in your schools address the needs of students such as Moises?
Comprehensible InputHow is mathematics understood by English Language Learners?
Language Acquisition - Language Acquisition - GeneralGeneral
Everyone agrees that human beings are born with the ability to learn language (to speak) We use language to communicate.
2 schools of thought of how we learn language
Behaviorist – we learn language through modeling.
Innatist – we are born with a mechanism that monitors grammar (the structure of language).
Krashen SLA Krashen SLA HypothesesHypotheses
The Natural Order Hypothesis - 'we acquire the rules of language in a predictable order'
The Acquisition/ Learning Hypothesis - 'adults have two distinctive ways of developing competences in second languages .. acquisition, that is by using language for real communication ... learning .. "knowing about" language' (Krashen & Terrell 1983)
The Monitor Hypothesis - 'conscious learning ... can only be used as a Monitor or an editor' (Krashen & Terrell 1983)
The Affective Filter Hypothesis - 'a mental block, caused by affective factors ... that prevents input from reaching the language acquisition device' (Krashen, 1985, p.100)
The Input Hypothesis - 'humans acquire language in only one way - by understanding messages or by receiving "comprehensible input"’ *
Input HypothesisInput Hypothesis
BICS & CALPBICS & CALP
BICS – Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills Sometimes referred to as playground communication. Immigrant and non-immigrant children learn this type of
communication first. Communication is informal.
CALP – Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Formal language used in academic and professional
environments. This type of communication is learned through modeling
by an adult. Is not often used outside of the classroom or professional
environment.
Source: Cummins, J. (1979). Cognitive/Academic language proficiency, linguistic interdependence, the optimum age question and some other matters. Working Paper on Bilingualism, 19, 121-129.
Relative Relative Communicative Communicative
DemandsDemands
Source: Carr, J. , Sexton, U. & Lagunoff. R. (2007). Making Science Accessible to English Learners: A Guidebook for Teachers. San Francisco, CA: WestEd.
5 Levels of English 5 Levels of English Language Language
DevelopmentDevelopment Beginning
Early Intermediate
Intermediate
Early Advanced
Advanced
(Refer to the Handout ELD stages for discussion)
Academic Language Academic Language Skills for the Math Skills for the Math
Classroom Classroom Listen with Comprehension
Use Academic Vocabulary
Ask and Answer Questions
Communicate Critical Thinking
(refer to handout for discussion)
Lexicon of Lexicon of MathematicsMathematics
The terms that are used by mathematicians and math learners use to talk about mathematics.
Content specific
Uses of language are specific to mathematics
quadratic, function, algebraic, geometric, sine, cosine
Words that have a specific meaning when used in the math classroom
Positive, negative, about, rational, irrational, infinity, imaginary
(refer to handout for discussion)
6 Steps for Teaching 6 Steps for Teaching VocabularyVocabulary
Identify words all students need to know
Identify words English Learners need to know
Select the highest-priority words
Choose key words for a day’s lesson
Build from informal to formal understanding
Plan many opportunities to apply key words
Word Walls , Sentence Frames, Word Walls , Sentence Frames,
Graphic Organizers and Classroom Graphic Organizers and Classroom
SetupSetup
Word Walls * .
Sentence Frames*
Graphic Organizer * .
Classroom Setup
Now it’s your turn to Now it’s your turn to playplay
There are several problems on the table
Read the problem and solve (if you want to)
How would you scaffold this problem for understanding?
Write down your strategies Find a partner and discuss your strategies Write down both of your strategies on a large
paper and place on the wall for group discussion