Math

=**Math **= It is a misconception that math is a “universal language.” Ask any teacher of English Language Learners and they will be sure to tell you that math is in fact an incredibly difficult “language” to grasp. Math is not simply just numbers and operations, rather there are things like word problems and cultural differences in techniques for learning math that make it an especially challenging subject for ELL’s to learn.

On this page you will find resources that will help you to teach math with strategies that are most effective for ELL’s and make you more aware of the challenges they face in the mathematics classroom.

 Judie Haynes has identified several challenges of ELL's specific to each content area (**[]** )

Some of the identified challenges for ELL’s in math and some suggested resources:
 * ** Challenges ** || ** Resources ** ||
 * ** Decimal point vs. comma ** || Note that English-speaking countries use the decimal point, however most other countries use the comma to separate numbers such as 4.5. Being aware of this might help teaching decimals easier for students new to the United States. ||
 * ** Measurement system: standard vs. metric ** || Note that the standard system is used almost exclusively in the United States. Learning a whole new way to measure (distance, weight, volume, etc.) is difficult.

Make your own pyramid to convert metric to standard: []

Table that converts common standard measurements to metric: []

Great information and practice on both systems: []

Information on metric system: []

Practice measuring with metric: [] || Making math active- teacher explains in a video
 * ** Spirally teaching math is new to students ** || [] Outlines math concepts for each grade level, then identifies activities to help reinforce them. The content is spirally reinforced throughout the grades, as opposed to mastered in a certain grade. ||
 * ** Manipulatives ** || []

Virtual Manipulatives, opportunities for students to practice on the computer [] ||
 * ** Word problems culturally relevant ** || Research your students’ home cultures. Use existing word problems and adapt them to include culturally relevant material.

An ESL specialist developed this procedure for solving word problems. This article breaks down how to teach solving word problems, as well as suggested activities [] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** Mathematical terms ** || <span style="color: #76923c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Words for a math word wall:[[file:Math Word Wall Words-3rd Grade.doc]]

Interactive Math Dictionaries: [] [] [] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** Mental math vs. **
 * showing work ** || <span style="color: #76923c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Think Alouds, teacher directed modeling of thinking through problems, can be great ways to help students think through their math, or to show their work. These prompts stimulate students to participate in the think aloud, helping the teacher to understand their ways of solving problems. Adapted from The Learning Strategies Handbook, p 70-1. [[file:Thinkalouds1.pdf]] ||

<span style="color: #ed860c; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Additional Resources
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">[] A plethora of resources for the mathematics teacher, this website (maintained by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) gives lesson ideas, activities, national math standards applications, and more web links. All can be adapted or used for ELL’s.

[] An integrative project that combines math and science lessons. There are sample lessons from grades K-3 which highlight exemplary teaching practices for ELL’s.

Visually representing math can also be beneficial to students. In this activity, students gain practice with graphs through a bingo game. From []

An article outlining additional challenges in math for ELL’s: []

This article, published by NYU- Steinhardt, gives great review of challenges students have in math, as well as additional strategies teachers can use to help ELLs in math instruction.

An article by an ESL specialist, Suzanne Irujo about Math for ELL's:

An article about differentiation in the math classroom: