Students' English Language Abilities in Solving Mathematics Word Problems

In this article, Maria Martiniello reports the findings of a study of the linguistic complexity of math word problems that were found to exhibit differential item functioning for English-language learners (ELLs) and non-ELLs taking the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) fourth-grade math test. It builds on prior research showing that greater linguistic complexity increases the difficulty of Englishlanguage math items for ELLs compared to non-ELLs of equivalent math proficiency. Through textual analyses, Martiniello describes the linguistic features of some of the 2003 MCAS math word problems that posed disproportionate difficulty for ELLs. Martiniello also uses excerpts from children's think-aloud transcripts to illustrate the reading comprehension challenges these features pose to Spanish-speaking ELLs. Through both DIF statistics and the voices of children, the article scrutinizes the appropriateness of inferences about ELLs' math knowledge based on linguistically complex test items.

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An exploration of the teaching and learning of mathematics word problems in English to second language grade 8 learners in the Mafukuzela-Gandhi Circuit

10.51415/10321/749 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Annaleah Pooran

Keyword(s):

Teaching Strategies ◽

Word Problems ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

National Language ◽

Class Discussion ◽

Medium Of Instruction ◽

Mathematics Word Problems ◽

Mathematics Educators ◽

Esl Learners ◽

Grade 8

The abolition of apartheid in South Africa in the late 1980s and the advent of democracy in 1994 resulted in dramatic changes in the education system. Of great significance to this study is the freedom African parents were allowed in choosing the medium of instruction to be used at schools. Surprisingly African parents encouraged their children to study through the medium of English mainly due to the education and employment opportunities English will provide them in the future (Mda, 1997). Now, seventeen years into democracy, English as a national language and the preferred medium of instruction has been blamed for poor results among ESL learners (Moreosole, 1998). Taylor, Muller and Vinjevold (2003: 54) point out that the difficulties associated with studying in a language other than one’s home language are more pronounced in mathematics, a subject which is strongly dependent on technical language proficiency. A section in the Grade 8 mathematics syllabus that is generally problematic for ESL learners is that of word problems (Wetzel, 2008). This is because ESL learners lack the language and reading skills needed to comprehend word problems, and the listening skills required to understand the educator’s explanation of the solution (Crandall, Dale, Rhodes and Spanos, 1985). To address the aims and objectives of this study, relevant literature was reviewed and various teaching strategies were examined to determine which strategies may be most effective in helping ESL learners solve word problems. Grounded within the Constructivist Learning Theory, this study was based on Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and Bruner’s concept of scaffolding. Using a mixed methods approach, this study investigated problems that mathematics educators and ESL learners experience in the teaching and learning of word problems through the medium of English, and also identified strategies that mathematics educators use to teach word problems to ESL learners. iv Analysis of the educator questionnaire and the focus group interviews with learners revealed that ESL learners are experiencing difficulty solving word problems in English and educators are, to a large extent, adapting their teaching strategies when teaching them. The data also indicated that groupwork was considered by the majority of educators to be the most suitable method in the teaching of word problems to ESL learners, but sadly this method was used less frequently compared to whole class discussion and individual work due to discipline problems, the educators’ inability to handle group dynamics and the tendency for learners not to contribute to the group discussion. The findings also suggest that it is necessary for the educator to use a variety of teaching strategies to ensure that ESL learners enjoy success in mathematics. Based on the findings, this study makes recommendations regarding the teaching and learning of word problems and the use of adapted teaching strategies to foster active participation in lessons and group discussions, thereby increasing learner confidence and aiding in the understanding of English terminology used in mathematics word problems.

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Analysis of Factors Affecting the Auditory Attention of Non-native Speakers in e-Learning Environments

The Electronic Journal of e-Learning ◽

10.34190/ejel.19.3.2296 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. pp159-169

Author(s):

Nikesh Bajaj ◽

Jesús Requena Carrión ◽

Francesco Bellotti ◽

Riccardo Berta ◽

Alessandro De Gloria

Keyword(s):

Learning Environments ◽

English Language ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Sentence Length ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Significant Drop ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

E Learning ◽

Listening Task ◽

The Impact

: One of the most striking characteristics of e-Learning audiences is their diversity. Native and non-native learners can be expected among such audiences and therefore, when developing e-Learning courses it is important to consider the impact of the language level on learning. Specifically, non-native learners are expected to have a diminished auditory perception compared to native ones and hence reduced attention capabilities that could result in a poorer performance. In this study, we assess the impact of linguistic and auditory factors on the attention of non-native learners, namely semanticity, sentence length and noise level. An English language platform mimicking real e-Learning environments is used and attention is quantified by measuring the number of English words correctly identified during a listening task. Our results show that changes in each factor affect the attention score significantly. Interestingly, the effects of semanticity are apparent in noiseless environment, but vanish in noisy ones. Results also show that in noiseless environments, a change in the length of semantic sentences from small or medium to long causes a significant drop in the attention score. Our results demonstrate the importance of carefully accounting for linguistic and auditory factors when designing effective e-Learning courses, especially when they target global audiences and learners with different language abilities are expected.

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ESL Learning via Facebook Among Science and Non-Science University Students

International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments ◽

10.4018/ijvple.2021070101 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

Shaidatul Akma Adi Kasuma

Keyword(s):

Learning Styles ◽

University Students ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

English Language ◽

Academic Experience ◽

Science Students ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Motivation To Read ◽

Willingness To Use ◽

Learning Interest

This study examines science and non-science students' perceptions of the effects of Facebook on their ESL learning. A questionnaire was used to gather data from 631 university students in Malaysia. The findings suggest the science students' more positive views of Facebook for ESL learning compared to their non-Science counterparts, although the differences in percentages between the two groups are small. The science students perceived higher confidence and motivation to read, speak, and write in English, in online and offline environment, after being exposed to Facebook. The science students also indicated a higher level of English language proficiency compared to the non-science students, which may explain their better perceived confidence and willingness to use Facebook in ESL environment. The incorporation of Facebook as a social media should therefore be seen as facilitating a variety of preferred learning styles and strategies in boosting students' learning interest, improving their language abilities, and providing them with the best academic experience.

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