Studies on mathematics achievement around the world have shown that many students perform poorly in mathematics. More specifically, research into the state of primary education indicates that, in some countries, many students perform well below the curriculum expectations with some falling behind by as much as 3 years by the time they are in Grade 3.
Although there are many ways to improve the quality of teaching and learning of mathematics, one area that is often understudied in early schooling is the role of language and how language impacts on the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Mathematics, as some researchers and scholars argue, is a specialized language and as such, mathematics is read, written and spoken through the use of ordinary languages. As a result of the intricate relationship between language and mathematics and the complexity of teaching in multilingual classrooms, it is crucial that attention is paid to the interdependence between language and mathematics, and the skills that are needed to deal with and support multilingual students.
The present study, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), uncovers some key findings on the role of language in teaching and learning mathematics in the early grades. In tomorrow’s webinar, Anthony Essien of the University of Witwatersrand, will guide us through the following key findings:
- What the literature says on the role of language in teaching and learning early grade mathematics with a focus on developing countries
- Country-case studies from Kenya, Malawi and South Africa on the role of language in early grade mathematics with respect to curriculum, pedagogic practices and teacher education
- An analysis of selected early mathematics intervention programs in Kenya, Malawi and South Africa with respect to their consideration of the role of language.
Dr. Anthony A. Essien is a senior lecturer in Mathematics Education at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He is also an associate editor of Pythagoras journal – the academic and professional journal of the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa. His field of research is in language issues in the teaching and learning of mathematics from primary level to teacher education. Dr. Essien completed his PhD studies with a thesis entitled: “Preparing pre-service mathematics teachers to teach in multilingual classrooms: A community of practice perspective”. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters including those jointly published by Nuria Planas, Nancy Chitera, Jill Adler and Mamokgethi Pakeng (previous Mamokgethi Setati).
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