This week’s recommendation comes from:
Kristin Klingensmith
Mathematics Fellow
Kristin says, “This position paper speaks to my heart and mind as an educator and a lover of mathematics. Mathematics is a human endeavor, a rich and complex blend of art and science. It is not owned by a singular continent, country, or culture. It is a language, a way of interpreting and representing the world. It is not bound to English. And so…mathematics and the teaching of it cannot be treated as if it is ‘neutral.’ The ways mathematics and the teaching of it intersect race, class, culture, language should be explored, analyzed, and interrogated to ensure movement toward more equitable learning for all.”
Positioning Multilingual Learners for Success in Mathematics
Joint position statement from NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics in Education and TODOS: Mathematics for ALL
“Regardless of what stage multilingual learners are in their language development, teachers can afford opportunities for them to engage in cognitively demanding tasks that provide multiple entry points and leverage bilingualism to facilitate mathematical meaning making (Chval & Khisty, 2009; Khisty, 1995; LópezLeiva, Torres, & Khisty, 2013; Moschkovich, 1999; Turner & Celedón-Pattichis, 2011).” – NCSM and TODOS
NCSM and TODOS draw from research to inform this new joint statement on positioning multilingual learners so that they can access, engage, and thrive in mathematics education. They detail a systematic approach for influencing policies and practices that focus on various components of the current inequitable system, including professional development, infrastructure, curriculum, family/community engagement, language development, and mathematics teaching, learning and assessment. Recommendations are outlined for how stakeholders can implement the position statement.