Abstract
Given the increasing number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in post-secondary environments (Roessingh & Douglas, 2012), educational practices such as availability of language support for mathematics should be assessed to ensure that all students’ needs are met. To explore the effects of language on mathematics in ELLs, mathematical test items were presented in four language contexts: vocabulary knowledge, negation, preposition use, and atypical sentence structure. Sixty students enrolled in mathematics courses volunteered to complete the mathematics task. Results suggest that math items falling into each of the four language contexts disadvantage ELLs, highlighting that the needs of ELLs should be considered at all levels, from classroom practices to educational policy.
Highlights
Given the increasing number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in post-secondary environments (Roessingh & Douglas, 2012), educational practices such as availability of language support for mathematics should be assessed to ensure that all students’ needs are met
The number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in post-secondary environments (PSE) is increasing (Roessingh & Douglas, 2012), and this trend is no different at Humber College in Toronto, where the present study was conducted
Consider the use of technical terms such as ‘denominator.’ If students are unfamiliar with the term, they may be unable to solve the item due to a lack of English language knowledge, rather than mathematical skill
Summary
Given the increasing number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in post-secondary environments (Roessingh & Douglas, 2012), educational practices such as availability of language support for mathematics should be assessed to ensure that all students’ needs are met. To explore the effects of language on mathematics in ELLs, mathematical test items were presented in four language contexts: vocabulary knowledge, negation, preposition use, and atypical sentence structure. Consider the use of technical terms such as ‘denominator.’ If students are unfamiliar with the term, they may be unable to solve the item due to a lack of English language knowledge, rather than mathematical skill. This can be expected, given that a determinant of reading comprehension is vocabulary knowledge (Grabe, 2008). Atypical sentence structures may selectively cause problems for ELLs. Open questions in English typically start with an interrogative phrase containing an interrogative word (e.g., who, what, where, why). The question: “What volume is 36 litres 3/8 of?” can be restructured as: “Thirty six litres is 3/8 of what volume?” with a non-fronted interrogative phrase
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