BETWEEN LANGUAGES AND DISCOURSES: LANGUAGE PRACTICES IN PRIMARY MULTILINGUAL MATHEMATICS CLASSROOMS IN SOUTH AFRICA .
BY
MAMOKGETHI SETATI and JILL ADLER
SUMMARY
The article examines the language practices of teachers in
primary multilingual mathematics classrooms in South Africa, with a particular
focus on code-switching, that is, the practice of moving between
languages and ways of speaking during instruction. The authors draw on two
research projects to describe and discuss these practices within the context of
post-apartheid South African education, where code-switching is encouraged.
Setati and Adler explain that in post-apartheid South
Africa, schools encourage using multiple languages in teaching. They discuss
both the difficulties and benefits of teaching math in primary schools with
this multilingual approach.
The authors explain that different types of English can make
it challenging for primary math teachers to explain concepts. They mention two
scenarios to support this point.
§
Code-Switching to Improve Comprehension: From
the article, we can see that Teachers use different languages to help students
understand math better. For example, the teacher (Ntombi) used a math problem
in the students' main language (Tswana) so they get the basic idea. Then, the
teacher switches to English to teach the specific math terms. This way, the students
can link their main language with the language used in school.
§
Code-Switching Causing Confusion: Changing
languages while teaching can cause confusion. From the article, it is also
argued that often times switching languages without smooth transitions,
students might struggle to keep up with the lesson and understand the math
concepts.
Setati and Adler suggest that
teachers need to be aware of the complexities of code-switching and develop
strategies to use it effectively as a pedagogical tool. They argued that
understanding the interplay between languages and discourses could enhance the
teaching and learning of mathematics in multilingual classrooms. However, the
authors concludes that while code-switching has the potential to be a powerful
resource in multilingual mathematics classrooms, it requires careful
consideration and skillful implementation to be effective.
“In particular, oral proficiency
in English in the absence of mother tongue instruction was negatively related to
achievement in mathematics”. Page 245
I do not really agree that
language is the only requirement for success in Mathematics, there are many
factors that can negatively affect a student’s achievement in mathematics. Some
are highlighted below:
§
Teaching Methods Used by the Teacher:
Ineffective teaching methods and lack of adaptation to the linguistic needs of
students can hinder their understanding of mathematical concepts.
§
Teacher's Expertise: Teachers with
limited subject knowledge or inadequate training in multilingual instruction
may struggle to effectively teach mathematics in a second language.
§
Students' Reading and Writing Skills:
Students who struggle with reading and writing in English may find it difficult
to comprehend and solve mathematical problems
§
Students' Comprehension Level: Difficulty
in understanding instructions and mathematical texts in English can affect
students' performance.
§
Access to Resources: Limited access to
educational resources, such as textbooks and supplementary materials in both
English and the students' native languages, can impact learning.
§
Parental Support: Lack of parental
involvement and support in education can negatively affect students' motivation
and achievement.
§
Classroom Environment: A non-supportive
or disruptive classroom environment can impede students' focus and learning.
§
Peer Influence: Negative peer influence
or lack of collaborative learning opportunities can hinder academic success.
§
Step - by - Step Guidance: Insufficient
step-by-step guidance and scaffolding can leave students feeling overwhelmed
and unable to grasp mathematical concepts.
What is your opinion about this?
Stop 2
“To elaborate: most
learners come into the school with informal ways of talking mathematics. The challenge
that teachers face is to encourage movement in their learners from the
predominantly informal spoken language to formal written mathematical language,
and this includes both conceptual and calculational discourses”. Page 249
I stopped at this quote because it
reminds me of my role as a mathematics teacher, there is need to help my
students switch from informal language to the precise, formal language used in
math class. This includes learning the right words(MATHEMATICS REGISTER) and methods to describe and
solve math problems accurately. The challenge is to guide students in
understanding and using this formal language effectively in both speaking and
writing. For example, a student can describe a circle as a round object, like
the bottom of a milk or milo container, as a teacher, it is my duty to describe
it using the formal/technical terms like, circumference, radius, diameter, arc,
chord etc.
What can educators do to
effectively support the transition from informal spoken language to formal
written mathematical language in a class setting.
Hi Clementina, thank you for your summary and response. For your first stop, I am not sure that the authors are stating that language is the only requirement but rather one of the necessary requirements to succeed in mathematics. I love that you brought to light all these other requirements that must be fulfilled in order for students to succeed. Oral proficiency is just one of many requirements on that non-extensive list you provided.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that oral proficiency can be reflective of a student's comprehension level and is related to their reading and writing level (two requirements you listed)?
To answer your second question, I believe some effective ways to support the transition include encouraging mathematical dialogue, such as group discussions, and modelling thinking procedures. Consistently using mathematical vocabulary is also essential. However, we should be careful not to discourage students from making informal language connections. Instead, we can use these connections to highlight real-world applications, which can help foster a deeper understanding of the concepts.
Hi Clementina,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your summary and idea.
In my opinion, language is a factor for the success in Mathematics. All the factors that you have mentioned are important. In addition to this, if students struggle with reading and writing in English, they may find difficulty in solving word problems in Mathematics. So I think while language is important, it is just one piece of a larger puzzle, and we teachers should consider multiple factors to ensure our students success in mathematics.
Next, we educators can support the transition from informal spoken language to formal language gradually by introducing mathematical terms in a way that connects to everyday understanding. We can let our students to describe the mathematical terms in their own words and modify it to the correct mathematical vocabulary. For example, if a student describes fraction “ this is like sharing a pizza” the teacher can acknowledge and gradually introduce the terms numerator and denominator. Using visual aids, real-life examples and hands-on activities can help them to understand the mathematical terms meaningfully. Educators can help students to bridge the gap between informal and formal math language by creating a learning environment where students feel confident in expressing their ideas.