Experienced teachers talking about their mathematics teaching with linguistically disadvantaged learners

Abstract

Learners of mathematics who are linguistically disadvantaged for a variety of reasons, including impoverished socioeconomic status, continue to be educationally disadvantaged and at considerable risk of school failure and early dropout. This is the case in many parts of the world. While much has been researched on linguistically disadvantaged learners in the fields of sociology and general pedagogy, little is known about the classroom teaching of mathematical content in language-responsive ways for all learners in school. Experienced mathematics teachers draw on a wealth of knowledge of content teaching in language-responsive ways developed through their practices working with linguistically disadvantaged learners in their classrooms. In this paper we report on interviews with some of these experienced mathematics teachers from seven educational contexts focusing on teaching probability in language-responsive ways. We focus on what we can learn from these teachers that could inform our practice as mathematics teacher educators and our research. We identify three challenges and three practices that add nuance and depth to theoretical research findings and recommendations on language in mathematics teaching, which can potentially develop these findings in more practical and accurate ways.