Gap in
Mathematical achievement of migrant students: is it “just” a question of
language?
By
Million-Foure
Karine
Summary
The article explores reasons for the difference in
mathematical performance between migrant and native students. Students had
issues in understanding the vocabulary used in mathematics despite the
comprehensive orientation and cultural integration program given to them.
The writer carries out the research, using a sample of 177
students drawn from primary and high schools in 46 countries for the research. Million-foure
uses computer-based tests as the instrument to assess their literary and
mathematics levels. In addition,26 students participated in interviews and
paper exercises as a follow-up to the research.
Million-foure gathers from the research that although
language plays an important role in students' performance, there are other bias
factors such as cultural differences and educational background. Cultural differences
and educational background stem from demographical, sociocultural, and prior
academic experience as well as physiological and school-institutionalization.
Million-foure concludes that it is important to get a
personalized assessment of each individual, taking into consideration their
unique needs, strengths and challenges which is essential to provide the necessary
support for their academic success.
Stop 1
“Mathematics learners are required to possess competency
both in everyday language and mathematics-specific language, but competency in
the natural language does not necessarily contribute to competency in the mathematics-specific
language” page 5
This quote resonates with me because it tells of my personal
experience. I often use this as a testimony to encourage my students in my
classroom teaching environment. Delta Steel Company (Nigeria) is an establishment
where there was a need to learn the natural language to be able to communicate
and fit into the system while growing up. This internalization did not
guarantee my understanding of mathematics because I performed poorly in
class. There was a shift in my mathematics perspective that turned around the
moment I began to learn the principles, concepts, and symbols related to mathematics.
There is a need to know the natural everyday language for communication and
understanding but it is also vital to know the mathematics terminologies to be
able to excel. Imagine a teacher giving students a task on word problems involving
quadratic equations. For example,
“When 10 is subtracted from the square of a number, the
result is three times the number. Find the solution”.
The students may be able to pick out words such as “subtracted”,”
squared”,” result” and three times because of the usage and understanding of everyday
language but may not be able to put them together in the mathematics context,
let alone solve the equation using the methods necessary for solving quadratic equation
(Factorization, completing the Square, graphical or formula methods used).
These are all terms related to mathematics language.
What strategies have you found effective in bridging the gap
between natural language and mathematics-specific language?
Step 2
“Lots of researchers underline the trauma refugee-background
young people have faced because of their forced displacement and the
repercussions on their schooling: that is the reason why according to Block,
Cross, Riggs and Gibbs (2014), schools have to develop an approach focused on
learning, social and emotional needs to provide an inclusive education”. Page 6
In uncertain and challenging times, we have witnessed a lot
of crises in the world. My country Nigeria is no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic,
Cholera, Lassa fever and Ebola disease outbreak have taken a deep toll on our society
or is it the kidnap of students from their various schools like the Chibok
girls they are still searching for since the last decade or the children
involved in the bombing in schools, while the students were sleeping in their dormitories.
The raping of young girls during by miscreants was a common phenomenon or is it a
flood situation that displaces children from their place of abode. All these
happenings no doubt affect these children's performances because they are not
settled emotionally. The repercussions of these social vices are eating deep
into the lives of these children. I remember deeply when the federal government
had to relocate some students to nearby schools so they were not left out. To
recapture the minds of the children, programs that could impact the lives of
the students were inculcated into the school curriculum to douse these negative
experiences they were going through. I remember one of the girls( Amina) who
was brought to our school, she could not speak English let alone understand
mathematics but she was taught other practical skills like knitting, which she
could do very well. As educators, we have a social responsibility to counsel
and remodel these young minds so they fit into society. This we can do by recognizing
specific trauma that these refuges students have faced, creating a learning
environment that is inclusive and supportive of all students not minding their background,
developing personalized strategies to help these students overcome their unique
challenges and success, providing programs that cater for the social and
emotional wellbeing of the students. What can we do to create a more inclusive
learning environment that can accommodate children with such experiences?
Hi Clementina, thank you for your summary and reflection. I agree that the gap between everyday language and mathematics-specific language can be a significant linguistic barrier for our students. I wonder if, as teachers, we could use synonyms and more colloquial terms, even metaphors, to help bridge this gap when describing mathematical concepts. It’s interesting how we provide students with specific definitions of terms, but rarely assess their memorization of those definitions directly. For example, I would have students write down a precisely worded definition of the term "variable," assess it once or twice, and then never revisit it. Over time, I found that understanding the concept itself became more important than the strict, traditional definition.
ReplyDeleteYour second question is a heavy one. I’m not sure if the responsibility falls solely on the teacher to accommodate children with such experiences. Support must also come from the institutions and the communities themselves. Teachers are just one part of the larger societal framework. In my experience, teachers are rarely trained to handle such complex situations, and I believe we would benefit from having more human resources—professionals who are properly trained to guide us in creating a safer, more supportive environment.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful reflections, Clementina. I often try to connect mathematic concept with real-life scenarios to make the students more engaged in learning. I use visual aids such as diagrams, charts and hands-on-activities to assist students to understand the connection between the given words and mathematical concepts. As a teacher, we should encourage students to explain the question in their own words and gradually introduce math vocabulary to develop their self-confidence.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Anna's response to this question. While I was teaching in Qatar, I observed that every school needs to have a counsellor to talk about these issues alongside teachers. While teachers play an important role, they have limitations and have to be trained specifically to handle such problems efficiently. However, teachers can still make a difference by encouraging peer support and empathy and by urging students to be kind to each other, rendering the classroom more inclusive and supportive.
Thanks Clementina, Anna and Rosmy for these big and important insights. Clementina, it is both shocking and moving to remember the many traumatic situations young people have been exposed to, in Nigeria and in other countries as well. We feel great responsibility as teachers, but as Anna and Rosmy have pointed out, we are not really capable of dealing with everything ourselves and need the support of the community and of counsellors.
ReplyDeleteAnna, very interesting comment about understanding vs. memorization. I would be most interested to hear your thoughts on what constitutes mathematical understanding -- a question I've been wrestling with for some time!
Your reflection on the emotional and social challenges faced by refugee-background students is both insightful and deeply relevant. The real-life examples you shared, particularly about Amina, emphasize the importance of inclusive education and the need for personalized learning strategies. Your emphasis on the role of educators in addressing students' social and emotional well-being adds a valuable perspective. Your questions open up important discussions on how we can better support students in these situations.
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