Specialised Mathematical English as A Resource of Learning Secondary School Mathematics: A Case Study in L2 Classrooms

Abstract

Perhaps more than any other subject, teaching and learning mathematics depends on language. Mathematics is about relationships: relation between numbers, categories, geometric forms, variables and so on. In general, these relationships are abstract in nature and can only be realized and articulated through language. Even mathematical symbols must be interpreted linguistically. Thus, while mathematics is often seen as language free, in many ways learning mathematics fundamentally depends on language. For students still developing their proficiency in the language instruction, the challenge is considerable. Indeed research has shown that while many second speakers of English (L2) students are quickly able to develop a basic level of conversational English it takes several years do develop more specialised mathematical English. This paper reports findings of a study whose part of the objectives investigated how students construe specialised mathematical meanings from everyday words to express conceptual understanding of mathematics. The study employed multiple-case study design in three categories of schools, that is, Sub-County School (SCS), County School (CS) and Extra-County School (ECS). Data were collected by questionnaires, classroom observations and interviews. Findings indicate that students had challenges in interpreting mathematical meanings of ordinary vocabulary used in mathematics curriculum-they stated ordinary meanings of words instead of mathematical meanings. The paper recommends integration of mathematical language as a strand in the curriculum of mathematics in secondary schools in L2 context to assist learners attain conceptual understanding of mathematics.