Teaching Math to Multilingual Students, Grades K-8: Positioning English Learners for Success (Corwin Mathematics Series)

Product Description
Using strengths-based approaches to support development in mathematics
It’s time to re-imagine what’s possible and celebrate the brilliance multilingual learners bring to today’s classrooms. Innovative teaching strategies can position these learners as leaders in mathematics. Yet, as the number of multilingual learners in North American schools grows, many teachers have not had opportunities to gain the competencies required to teach these learners effectively, especially in disciplines such as mathematics. Multilingual learners―historically called English Language Learners―are expected to interpret the meaning of problems, analyze, make conjectures, evaluate their progress, and discuss and understand their own approaches and the approaches of their peers in mathematics classrooms. Thus, language plays a vital role in mathematics learning, and demonstrating these competencies in a second (or third) language is a challenging endeavor.
Based on best practices and the authors’ years of research, this guide offers practical approaches that equip grades K-8 teachers to draw on the strengths of multilingual learners, partner with their families, and position these learners for success. Readers will find:
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A focus on multilingual students as leaders
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A strength-based approach that draws on students’ life experiences and cultural backgrounds
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An emphasis on maintaining high expectations for learners’ capacity for mastering rigorous content
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Strategies for representing concepts in different formats
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Stop and Think questions throughout and reflection questions at the end of each chapter
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Try It! Implementation activities, student work examples, and classroom transcripts
Review
Kathryn Chval and her colleagues exquisitely give the readers opportunities to see inside a classroom with multilingual students, develop empathy, and deeply understand effective practice. The book’s engaging format provides questions for reflection and strategies to try out, connects research to practice, and compels readers to position students for success. -- Nora G. Ramirez ―
Executive Director, TODOS: Mathematics for ALL
This is the book I’ve been waiting for! It is powerful. It brings together often-separate critical ideas for teaching multilingual students and weaves them with in-depth explorations of classrooms. We meet remarkable teachers, whose success we can learn from, which will help us reimagine what’s possible. -- Lena Licón Khisty ―
Emerita, University of Illinois Chicago
A must-read! This book is an excellent resource to closely examine mathematics instruction that affirms multilingual learners’ identities, competencies, and growth as learners of mathematics. Far too often multilingual children and their families are positioned in deficit ways that lead to limited learning. This book does the opposite. It seamlessly blends practice and research for a comprehensive look at exemplary mathematics teaching that leverages children’s multiple linguistic, cultural, and mathematical strengths. The book offers practical tools and guidance to enhance mathematics instruction, nurture student relationships, and create strong partnerships with families to support and advance multilingual learners in mathematics. -- Julia Aguirre ―
University of Washington, Tacoma
This book goes beyond the typical support of the academic language of mathematics for English learners. It provides an in-depth perspective on being more culturally inclusive of English learners and allows educators to reflect on their instructional methodologies in mathematics. -- Alexander L. Tai ―
Columbia Public Schools
This book celebrates the brilliance of multilingual learners while also providing evidence-based strategies for teachers. The included cases and activities provide a solid foundation for teachers’ growth and exploration into teaching mathematics with multilingual students. This book will help teachers and teacher e