Bilingual adults practicing multiplication tables – looking into bilingual arithmetic learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT The importance of language in mathematics education becomes increasingly obvious, as multilingual learners are not an exception nowadays. But how can language dominance and the language of first or later instruction affect arithmetic training in adults? 101 bilingual adults whose first and dominant language was German (LM+ and L1) and who spoke English as their second language (L2) were tested. Participants were assigned to three different training groups and either practiced basic multiplications in German, English or both languages. In a verification paradigm, reaction times on solving multiplication problems in German and English respectively were recorded before and after the training. Results showed a strong influence of the language adult bilinguals initially acquired arithmetic knowledge in (German). German items were overall solved more quickly than English counterparts, irrespective of the language items were specifically trained in. English were affected by differing training conditions with respect to training effects. This leads to the consideration of various factors including language proficiency levels, the language of first mathematics instruction in early school years as well as the language of mathematics instruction in later learning contexts, in understanding bilingual arithmetic learning.