Final Memo

Summary

The Brenner article emphasizes the use of language in mathematics classrooms and how the proper use and different uses of language can benefit culturally and linguistically diverse students. The role of language in math classrooms is first discussed, followed by its importance seen in recent studies and educational theories from past and present.  Finally, an overview of the Communication Framework for Mathematics is given that highlights various ways in which all students and teachers can participate and use language in the classroom.

Questions

1.       What issues/ questions about teaching English learners do the readings raise?

One of the most striking facts that Brenner brings out includes: “most research on educational innovation in mathematics has been done with relatively advantaged groups of students while classroom practice and research with less advantaged groups continues to stress mastery of basic skills,” (243). The disparity in the type of education that less advantaged groups, many being English Learners, is great compared to other populations. Some questions that this prompted me to think about included: Why is basic skill mastery over-emphasized in less advantaged groups? and Is it assumed that less advantaged students cannot perform at a higher level, or are these students so behind that basic skills need to be practiced repeatedly?

The article also touches upon student participation within the English Learner population in any given classroom. The idea that culture directly effects how students act in participate was demonstrated in multiple examples. For instance, some students are uncomfortable speaking in a class discussion, but do well in small groups. Often, if students are paired with another student with the same first language, students are more willing to explain their reasoning and insight. However, in the instance where “pairs constituted of an English monolingual student and a student with very limited proficiency in English resulted in very passive behavior on the part of the latter students,” (Brenner 257). These findings made me wonder how I could encourage participation in a classroom full of culturally diverse students. Knowing every students’ personal histories seems somewhat impossible, so developing a strategy that would ultimately help me with student participation is something I would want to look into.

2  How does the reading suggest you can promote these in your classroom:

     a.  Intellectual growth/academic excellence in mathematics and b. equity.

The reading supports me, in my beliefs, that all students should have the opportunity to learn at a higher level; certain populations should not only have a procedural education.  So many students are taught that the final answer of any math problem is all that matters, this type of thinking is the driving force of many basic skill mastery classrooms. Brenner emphasizes “class discussion should focus on why ideas are correct, not whether they are correct or incorrect,” (244).

Intellectual growth will come when students are able to demonstrate and justify their thinking. This article’s main purpose was to support a mathematical framework that utilizes communication and highlights the importance in creating opportunities for all students to communicate and participate in the classroom. Justifying their thoughts and actions, through academic language in English, can be terrifying to any student, even more so to an English Learner. Growth and academic excellence is achieved through justification; as it has been said many times before, one truly knows the material when one can teach it to another. Thus, teachers must create opportunities for all students to demonstrate and justify their thinking. I believe the best advice the article gave was “as the content of classroom discourse changes, some students will need the support of changed participant structures to develop the new communicative competence,” (Brenner 24).