English Language Learners and Math

 Many teachers mistakenly believe that "math is a universal language" or that "everyone understands numbers".  When it comes to English Language Learners (ELL's), math can be very confusing. Math may be just as tricky for ELLs as science, social studies, and any other language-based subject.

Consider these points when working with ELLs in your classroom:

• A Newcomer coming to your classroom from another country may not have the same basic mathematical knowledge you expect your students to have. Just as standards and objectives vary from state to state, they can vary even more from country to country. You cannot and should not expect a student to just join in where you are.
• Some countries use different symbols to signify basic operations. Because of this, the flow of the problem may look different to them when working a problem.

          

Symbol	What it is	How it is read	How it is used	Sample expression	Some countries where this symbol is used
+	Addition sign	... plus... ... add... The total of... and...	Sum of values	3 + 5 = 8	Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other countries
-	Subtraction sign Minus sign	... subtract... ... take away... The difference between... and ... Negative...	Subtraction, taking one value away from another, difference between two values	3 - 5 = -2	Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other countries
x	Multiplication sign	... multiplied by... ... groups of... ... times...	Product of two values	3 x 5 = 15	Poland and other countries
.	Multiplication sign	... multiplied by... ... groups of... ... times...	Product of two values	3 . 5 = 15	Argentina and other South American countries, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other countries
÷	Division sign	... divided by... What is... shared between...? How many groups of... are there in...?	Division	3 ÷ 4 = 0.75	Demark
/	Slash	... divided by... What is... shared between...? How many groups of... are there in...? ... over...	Division	3 / 4 = 0.75	Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other countries
:	Colon, ratio sign	... divided by... What is... shared between...? How many groups of... are there in...? ... to...	Division Ratio	3 : 4 = 0.75 2 : 4 = 20 : 40	Norway, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other countries
,	Decimal sign	... point...	Separating whole numbers from decimal points	7,3 + 3,3 = 10,6	Europe: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other countries

     

• In some countries, they use commas where we use decimals, and decimals where we use commas. For example: In the US the number three thousand would be written 3,000 and in other countries, it is written 3.000.  In the US, the number three and two tenths would be written 3.2 in other countries it is written 3,2.

What does this mean for the math teacher with ELLs in their classroom?

    One of the best tips I can give teachers is to allow every student an opportunity to speak and ask questions in every lesson. We have schedules to keep and lessons to teach, however, we have to resist calling on only those students who eagerly raise their hands. We need to try to call on as many students as possible each day and expect an answer.  Don't let students "off the hook" if they don't have an answer. Tell them you will come back to them. Call on another student and if they give the correct answer have the first student repeat it. If you end up giving the correct answer, have all students repeat it. The use of think-pair-share strategies and cooperative group activities also allows each student to talk about the topic (Coggins, et. al., 2007, p. 11).

    Check out this video on Teaching Channel: Second Set Partner: A Turn and Talk Strategy

    Treat the vocabulary used in math class in the same manner you do in ELA and other courses. According to Coggins, et al (2007) we must first activate prior knowledge about the concept behind the vocabulary, then allow students to experience the concept, and finally discuss the concept using informal language. Once they have an understanding of the concept, the formal language can be taught. Coggins also suggests that we not teach keywords or phrases in word problems. Instead, focus attention on the actions and mathematical concepts within the word problem.

    Provide problem-solving opportunities. Problem-solving is more than following one or two-step directions, it is figuring out what to do when you don't know what to do. True problem-solving requires the students to seek help from classmates in addition to thinking critically. This benefits language and mathematical learning. For students with very limited language, providing sentence frames for discussion allows them an opportunity to share their knowledge and ideas.

    Provide students with the support (scaffolding) they need without reducing the complexity of the problem or telling them exactly how to solve it. Begin by activating a student's prior knowledge on a topic and relating it to something they know in the "real world". Scaffolds include visuals, tactile and auditory aids as well as cooperative groups and pair work. For example, a student may know what a penny is but not know the word. By working with a partner, the student can discuss, ask questions and practice the language while solidifying the concept with hands-on materials (Coggins, et. al., 2007).

    Using concrete objects can help the student focus on content and vocabulary at the same time. For example, using counters or blocks to show "hundreds" gives the idea meaning through visual and tactile experience. Allowing students to draw pictures to solve a problem can be equally effective if manipulatives are not available.

Coggins, D., Carroll, M., Coates, G. (2007). English Language Learners in the Mathematics Classroom. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Did you know that you can use Google Slides to create flashcards?  Did you know that there is a tool that allows you to randomize the flashcards you make?

There is and you can!

I attended a technology conference a few years ago where I was introduced to Google Slides and a few of the things you can do with it... like flashcards. Well, Julie Smith at The Techie Teacher, just shared a way to make those flashcards even better.  (If you don't follow her blog you should.)  This month she shared how to use an add-on to make your flashcards even better.  Of course, I had to try it out!

Here is a simple set of farm animal flashcards I created for my students. Below are the steps I followed to create them.

First, you will use Google Slides to create your flashcards- one card per slide.  Mine are for vocabulary practice, but you could do math facts, sight words practice... whatever you would use flashcards for.  I like to make my flashcards a bit smaller, so I click on file - page set-up and set the screen size to standard 4:3.

Now the fun stuff, if you want to be able to have your flashcards randomize each time you use them, you will need to install the Slides Randomizer Add-On.  Click HERE to get the add-on. After you have it installed, you will find it under the Add-ons menu on your slides deck as shown in the video below.

Click Randomize Presentation and then you will be asked whether you want to keep Slide 1 as a title slide- say yes if you have a title page for your set of cards. If your deck consist of just flashcards, you can click no. After clicking, your slides will automatically change order. Pretty cool right!? 

What if you want to provide feedback and supply the answer after each card?  You can do that too! You just add a text box and animation to each slide. You type your answer in the text box.  Next, click on the text box and then Insert from the menu bar and then select Animation. You will want to choose an animation that causes the text box to move into the presentation when the slide is clicked. You will also want to keep On Click selected. The text box should now appear when the user clicks on the slide in presentation mode. 

Randomizer only works on computers.  If you want to randomize the view for users on an iPad or another device, you will have to randomize the file on a computer for them.  Once you do, it will automatically update on their device.

Jeran Ott has created an example to get you started here.

Have fun and feel free to share any creations you make with me!  I'd love to see how you use this tool.

Modifying Instruction for Newcomers: Scaffolds and Supports

What is scaffolding and support?

Scaffolds and supports are strategies used by the teacher or tools that are provided to the learner. These tools and strategies enable language learners to access the content, understand input, and communicate knowledge despite a lack of language proficiency.

Doesn't scaffolding make it too easy? 
What if they don't need it?

Scaffolds are essential to newcomers! As newcomers gain proficiency, you can easily remove scaffolds and supports they no longer need and allow them to function more independently. Scaffolds can also be adjusted to support students in reaching beyond their current level of proficiency.

What is needed to access language and content will vary from student to student and is based on the student's level of proficiency. When looking at the student's proficiency levels, it is important to look at each domain rather than only the overall score. Students may need more assistance in one language domain than in another.

Scaffolds should be appropriate for proficiency levels.

For our newcomer students, we are providing very simple input with simple sentences, common phrases, and basic words and expressions. Our expectations for production should be based on learned words and phrases, small chunks of language, and basic vocabulary usage. This is what we need to be scaffolding students toward, so the strategies we use should be geared toward the level of language proficiency.

What kind of scaffolds and supports should I use?

Every student is unique and what works for one may not work for another. I have heard it said that working with ELs just requires good teaching strategies. Research shows that while the strategies that work for all students sometimes help ELs, the strategies that help ELs will benefit all students. 

Since we are a WIDA state, when introducing teachers to scaffolds and supports, I point out the three types identified by WIDA: Graphic, Sensory, and Interactive. WIDA also offers a list of possible supports divided by content area.  Again, this list is not exhaustive.

Here are some of my favorite scaffolds and supports for newcomer students, all of which are pretty easy to begin implementing:

Personal Word Walls: Personal word walls are excellent for your ELs. They can fill it with words they need and take it with them from class to class. For each new word they can include a picture and even the word in their own language. They can even use Read & Write for Google or an extension called Picto4me to created personalized visual word walls.

Word Banks: Word banks are one of the easiest tools you can include for your ELs, especially on tasks they are expected to produce language. For newcomers, perhaps on of the most difficult things is often remembering the vocabulary they need to express an idea or demonstrate knowledge. Word banks for ELs should include words they already learned and are relevant to the topic.

Classroom Word Walls: You may already have a word wall, but are you using it to its full potential? Classroom word walls can be an excellent scaffold for newcomers when used effectively. They should be visible, interactive and relevant.

Sentence Frames: Sentence frames can really help students at all levels, but they are particularly effective for newcomers who have little to no understanding of the structure of the English language. They may have the mathematical ability or the scientific knowledge to answer a question, but they don't have the language to communicate their answer. Use sentence frames to review and model sentences so that students know how to use them effectively. After a few days of using the frames in speaking and writing, you can usually remove them.

Visuals: The use of visuals is more to provide support for your newcomers as he or she is processing input. If the student can associate a word or phrase with a visual image then they are more likely to understand and acquire the word into their own language bank. You can create class picture cards using images from a Google search, insert images into a powerpoint, add images to your word wall. Picture dictionaries are also very helpful.

Technology: Technology is a great way to help your EL acquire English. I recommend no more than 30 minutes of solo computer time per day for ELs. It is really important that they participate in whole group activities and interact with peers during class time. 

• Learning Chocolate - helps students practice vocabulary using all four language domains. 
• Quizlet - Practices vocabulary with visuals and audio. 
• Read & Write for Chrome 
• Rewordify: a tool that simplifies language in a text. 

My number one guide for scaffold and support are the Go To Strategies for ELs found here.

I hope these tools help you as you modify instruction for your ELs.  Check out the next post on Comprehensible Input to learn more on how to modify instruction for your ELs.