Issues of Language: Teacher Insights from Mathematics Lessons in Chinese

Abstract

A fundamental concern in mathematics education is to understand the connection between the mathematics and the students who are trying to learn the mathematics. Even under ordinary conditions, it may be difficult for teachers to completely understand the challenges that students face. This can be especially true for teachers of English language learners (ELL). Given the steadily increasing population of U.S. students who are classified as limited in English proficiency, it is imperative that teachers understand the perspective of an ELL student in an English-speaking classroom. Meaningful professional development can further this type of understanding. In this article, we describe a professional development experience in which twenty-two teachers from schools with large Latino student populations participated in two mathematics lessons taught in Chinese. The goal for the activity was to allow the teachers to experience challenges similar to those that many students face. Thus, in addition to describing the mathematics lessons, we examine some of the participating teachers' reflections and insights.