Professional Documents
Culture Documents
GUIDE
to
WORKSHOP SERIES
Intended Audience
Logistics
All the workshop activities model the teaching and learning strategies
that exemplify best practices for teaching high-level mathematics to
middle grades English Language Learners.
Workshop 2
Teachers will learn:
• how to distinguish high-level from low-level mathematical tasks in the
middle grades
• how to create high-level math activities that engage English language
learners in the middle grades.
All of the practices included in the tool and demonstrated in the videos that
accompany the tool have been extensively tested in urban classrooms
enrolling high percentages of English language learners. Students enrolled in
these classrooms range from those with little if no formal introduction to high-
level mathematics before being enrolled in these classrooms to those who
entered with a strong background in mathematics.
The two six hour workshops are designed to be used in sequence, with the
second workshop building on the first. The workshops include:
Activities to engage teachers in high-level mathematics on the middle
grades level;
Discussion protocols to ensure that all English language learners are
engaged in high-level middle grades mathematics;
Structured and sequenced cooperative learning activities to support the
active learning of English language learners;
Linguistic structures and pattern language that English language learners
can use to participate actively in math classes;
Examples of sentence frames and probing questions that English language
learners can use to explain their reasoning and support their peers in
expanding their mathematical explanations;
Activities that demonstrate how to access English language learners' prior
knowledge when introducing key mathematical concepts;
Protocols for analyzing video excerpts of teachers implementing best
teaching practices for English language learners;
Activities that engage teachers in reflecting upon their own practice as
they work to incorporate the lessons of the tool in their own practice.
ACTION
Suggested ☚ TALKING POINTS
This is where you will
☚
actions to take find TALKING POINTS
to use with each slide.
Facilitators leading the workshop series will need extensive time to familiarize
themselves with the guides and the workshop materials as a whole, and should
expect to spend several hours in preparation for each workshop. This preparation
should include a first review, second more in depth review and a final review to get
everything ready. Facilitators will also want to familiarize themselves with the
Participant’s Packet, which includes many resources teachers can use with their
own students and suggestions for furthering their own study beyond the time
spent in the workshop.
More importantly, it models the critical importance of insuring that every lesson
has a clear and singular focus and that English language learners are given
ample time to concentrate on that focus, to process their understanding (often
from one language to English, back and forth), to be able to express their
thinking about that focus, and to develop a strong understanding of that
concept.
Each activity includes time at the end to debrief its most important points - this is
the metacognitive heart of the workshop, and models ways to conduct similar,
and essential debriefs in classrooms with English language learners.
How do facilitators decide when to show each section of the slide?
Each slide is designed to show the text and pictures in one of two ways:
1) all of the text as soon as the slide appears
or
2) different sections of the slide, one at a time.
The facilitator should decide how to pace the timing of each slide and each section
within the slide and practice doing so before each workshop. Each slide is different
so it will take some time to figure out the optimal pacing for each one.
How do the facilitators decide when, how and who should read the text of the
slides?
Facilitators can
•read the slides themselves, deciding on the pacing of each slide and section or
•invite participants at random or round robin to read each section.
Some of the slides have text that gives directions. This text should be read as it is
written on the slide, with any additions that facilitators feel would help clarify what
participants need to do. The text for directions is written as a model of how to give
directions to English language learners - one at a time, with a clear focus and
rationale. (See Participant’s Packet for more on giving directions, a critical skill for
successfully teaching mathematics to English language learners.)
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
How should facilitators use the TALKING POINTS for each slide that appear in
the facilitators’ guide?
Turning Points Tool
Teaching The TALKING POINTS in the facilitators’ guide provide a script that facilitators’ can
High-Level use as they display each slide. They include a number of key points that are not
Mathematics found in the text of the slide itself, as well as more explicit directions participants
to English Language will need to follow for a particular activity.
Learners
in the MIddle Grades We encourage facilitators to adapt the TALKING POINTS to fit their own style of
speaking if they wish to do so while incorporating their key points. Avoid simply
reading through the slides or the TALKING POINTS - practice walking through the
slides so that you can make the presentation your own.
Clearly, this requires that English language learners have multiple and repeated
opportunities to hear, repeat, and try out their thinking - in a language that is new
to them. All of the strategies in the workshop are designed to provide these
opportunities in multiple ways so that English language learners have the critical
support they need to succeed in mathematics in the middle grades.
For many teachers, this represents a paradigm shift in their own understanding of
how to teach mathematics and the kind of mathematical reasoning required for
success in middle grades mathematics and beyond. The workshops in Teaching
High-Level Mathematics to English Language Learners in the Middle
Grades are designed to model how to introduce, use and reflect upon these
strategies as they should be used on a regular and consistent basis during
all math lessons with English language learners. Teachers are far more likely
to use these strategies in their own classrooms if they are given time to practice
learning and using them during the workshops than if the time and persistent
modeling are not provided in the workshops.
Why are the directions for discussions so explicit and exact?
The workshop series makes extensive use of discussion protocols. These protocols
are carefully structured to ensure that all English language learners become active
and engaged participants throughout the math lesson. As in all protocols, it is
essential to follow each step of the protocol with fidelity so that every student gains
the depth of understanding built into each activity and has the time to contribute
actively with other students. Saying “Turn to your partner and talk” does not do
the job! The facilitators should guide the use of the protocol and adjust the timing
and guidelines as needed by the group.
The Participant’s Packet has a handout that provides guidance on giving directions
to English language learners.
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
There is a far amount of writing in the workshops. What are the best ways
facilitators can encourage math teachers to write?
Turning Points Tool
Teaching Writing is used in a number of ways throughout the workshops: 1) as writing to
High-Level learn [THINK WRITE PAIR SHARE] and 2) as learning to write [Using sentence
Mathematics
starters and pattern language to explain one’s thinking, ask questions and
to English Language
Learners demonstrate one’s mathematical reasoning].
in the MIddle Grades
Both of these approaches help students (and workshop participants) master high-
level thinking by giving them
• time to think before answering,
• an opportunity to consider various alternatives that might not occur to them
initially but surface after a few moments after the question or activity is presented,
• encourage more thoughtful and expanded ideas than a quick response would
suggest, and
• provide models for the kind of thinking required to do high-level mathematics in
the middle grades.
It is our experience that some teachers may take a good bit of time to be
comfortable writing but that with patience, with time and with persistence they will
all do so - and use writing regularly in their own classrooms with English language
learners and other students. Wait time in writing works as well as wait time in
discussions.
When should facilitators use charts to make the work of the group
public?
The workshop encourages facilitators and teachers to make their thinking
and their work public - primarily by having the facilitator, the group or
individuals write their responses on chart paper or on stickies. Suggestions
for doing so appear in the ACTION section that accompanies each slide in
the guide. Notice that facilitators do not write down their own thinking.
They work with the group to co-construct that thinking; the chart paper
records the thinking of the entire group as it unfolds.
This strategy models an important support used in classrooms that
support English language learners. They need to see and hear what
students are saying so that they, and every other student in the class, has
equal access to the information and can contribute to that information.
4) Some information on your school or district and the teachers that attended
the workshop: type of school, subject area and grades of teachers, number
of participants attending, role of facilitator in district or school, % of English
language learners in school, etc.
THANK YOU, National Turning Points/ the Center for Collaborative Education
The workshop series includes several ways to do such work, all of which are
based on having teachers observe each other and take collective
responsibility for helping the group be highly effective math teachers for
English language learners.
The lesson planning sequence at the end of Workshop 1 is one example.
Teachers observe the work silently, ask clarifying questions to the presenter,
give warm feedback in one round and “I wonders..” in a second round.
Protocols for Looking at Teacher Work and Looking at Student Work are
included in an Appendix at the end of this guide. The appendix at the end of
the Participant’s Packet includes additional protocols used in the workshop
series. They can be used in teachers’ meetings as well.
Turning Points can support this work through conducting “train the trainer”
sessions or facilitating the workshops for districts. Please see “Additional
Support from Turning Points for further information.
Clearly, this requires that English language learners have multiple and repeated
opportunities to hear, repeat, and try out their thinking - in a language that is
new to them. All of the strategies in the workshop are designed to provide
these opportunities in multiple ways so that English language learners have the
critical support they need to succeed in mathematics in the middle grades.
Why do facilitators use charts to make the work of the group public?
The workshop encourages facilitators and teachers to make their thinking
and their work public - primarily by having the facilitator, the group or
individuals write their responses on chart paper or on stickies.
This strategy models an important support used in classrooms that support
English language learners. They need to see and hear what students are
saying so that they can, and every other student in the class, has equal
access to the information and can contribute to that information.
Turning Points can support math coaches, math teachers and ESL/
Bilingual teachers by:
PROTOCOLS
USED IN
WORKSHOP 1*
DISCUSSION PROTOCOLS
Think/Write/Pair/Share
Final Word
Numbered Heads
Speak/Respond/Follow-up
Question/Respond
BEST PRACTICE:
USE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
AS A LINK TO NEW
KNOWLEDGE
•Prior knowledge gives
English language learners
entry points to every lesson
•All “big ideas” in
mathematics can be linked
to the prior knowledge of
all English language
learners
•Open ended, higher order
thinking questions are
excellent ways of
accessing this knowledge
Write
✎
Pair
Share
Think/Write/Pair/Share
Turning Points Tool Adaptations for English Language Learners
Teaching
High-Level
Mathematics
to English Language
Learners Simplified Steps
in the Middle Grades
1. Announce a discussion topic, one that is meaty enough for a good, rich
discussion.
2. Give THINK time. Give WRITING time.
3. Ask students to PAIR with an assigned partner to discuss their ideas. At
times, PAIR English language learners with other English language
learners so that they can participate no matter what their lalevel of
English.
4. Call on students to SHARE their ideas with the class.
Steps of Think-Write-Pair-Share
1. Have students sit in pairs. Ask all #1s to raise their hands, check to
make sure every pair has a hand raised, then ask for all #2, check to
make sure every pair has a hand raised.
2. Announce a rich discussion topic or problem to solve. (Example: Which
room in our school is larger, the cafeteria or the gymnasium and how
could we find out the answer? What does larger mean in this case?)
3. Give students at least 10 seconds of think time to THINK of their own
answer. (Research shows that the quality of student responses goes up
significantly when you allow "think time.") Give them another 30
seconds to WRITE their responses - long enough to write but not too
long that the pace slows down. Encourage them to come up with
several responses.
4. Ask students to PAIR with their partner to discuss the topic or solution.
Direct all #1s that they have one full minute (adjust the time to the
complexity of the question) to tell their partner the answer to the posed
question, partner #2 listens without talking for the entire time allotted.
#2 then has 30 minutes to tell #1 what s/he heard from them. Then #2 is
given one minute to tell #1 how s/he answered the question. #1 listens
quietly the entire time, recalling what s/he heard in the next 30 seconds.
5. #1 then responds to the comments of #2, using sentence stems such
as “I agree because….”
“I disagree because….” I wonder …..” “ Do you think that …?” “Could
you explain ….. to me. That isn’t clear to me. “ #2 responds to #1’s
comments, then has 30 seconds to ask her/his own questions to #1’s
comments.
6. Finally, randomly call on a few students to SHARE their ideas with the
class.
Think/Write/Pair/Share
Adaptations for English Language Learners
Turning Points Tool
Teaching
High-Level
Mathematics Overview
to English Language Think-Write-Pair-Share is one of the most common cooperative learning
Learners
structures, it's one of the easiest to implement and it creates a culture of
in the Middle Grades
equity and inclusiveness in classrooms. It’s particularly useful for English
language learners as it gives them a chance to try out their thinking and
practice talking over an idea in a safe structure before they speak to the
entire class. It can be used throughout a class, especially when only a
few students raise their hands in response to a question or when it is
clear that students need a chance to explore a topic before speaking in
front of the entire class.
The structure is extremely versatile but is particularly suited for
generating higher order thinking. The steps are simple, but it's important
to follow the steps exactly to avoid the "groupwork" pitfalls. Sometimes
teachers are tempted to skip some steps and just say, "Turn to a partner
and talk it over." Read on to find out why those words don't necessarily
result thoughtful responses from each student or an equitable classroom
culture.
Before you ask students to use think/write/pair/share on their own, make
sure you model it for students, telling them exactly what step you are
modeling and asking them to discuss what they heard and saw during
each step. Chart the steps as you model them. If this is the first time
students have tried out the protocol, have them practice following
the protocol on easy cognitive material before you use it to discuss
new material.
For ELLs, provide appropriate pattern language and sentence
starters for them to use during each step.
Benefits of Think-Write-Pair-Share
• Think-Write-Pair-Share is easy to use on the spur of the moment.
• Providing "think time" increases quality of student responses.
• Providing “writing time” gives all students time to develop responses
and encourages more thoughtful, fully developed responses.
• Students become actively involved in thinking about the concepts
presented in the lesson.
• Research tells us that we need time to mentally "chew over" new ideas
in order to store them in memory. When teachers present too much
information all at once, much of that information is lost. If we give
students time to "think-write-pair-share" throughout the lesson, more
of the critical information is retained.
• When students talk over new ideas, they are forced to make sense of
those new ideas in terms of their prior knowledge. Their
misunderstandings about the topic are often revealed (and resolved)
during this discussion stage.
• English language learners are more willing to participate since they
don't feel the peer pressure involved in responding in front of the
whole class.
Final Word
Adaptations for English Language Learners
Turning Points Tool
Teaching
High-Level
Mathematics
to English Language
Learners
in the Middle Grades
BEST PRACTICE:
FINAL WORD
• efficient way to discuss a reading
• provides controlled choice
• makes sure all voices are heard
• ensures in-depth discussion of
issues important to group
• provides entry point into discussion
for those who have not been able to
read or absorb entire document
• English language learners can
choose the part of the text they
understand best.
Final Word
Adaptations for English Language Learners
Turning Points Tool
Teaching
High-Level
Mathematics
to English Language
Learners
in the Middle Grades
#1 #2
➟
➟
➟
➟
#4 #3
#1
➟ #2
➟
➟
➟
#4 #3
Final Word
Adaptations for English Language Learners
Turning Points Tool
Teaching
High-Level
Mathematics
1. Choose a text for students to read and give them time to read.
to English Language 2. Have everyone identify one significant idea or phase from the text. Make
Learners sure it’s short - one or two sentences.
in the Middle Grades 3. Mark the phrase.
4. Think about why you have chosen the phrase. It is a good idea to have a
“back up” phrase, a second choice in case someone else chooses your
first choice.
5. Get into small groups and have each group choose a facilitator/
timekeeper.
6. 1st person reads his/her phrase, making sure everyone knows where it is
in the text and then has 1 minute (or any other short period of time) to
say why that excerpt struck him or her. Why do they think it is
important? Or why do they disagree with the excerpt or what important
issues does it raise for him or her?
7. 2nd person says what s/he read 1st person say, responds to the
excerpt briefly.
8. Next person in group does the same.
9. Person #1, the person who chose the quote and started the discussion,
gets the “FINAL WORD.” S/he responds to what the others said and
discusses what s/he thinks after hearing everyone else discuss the
excerpt.
Continue until everyone gets a chance to share his/her quote, hear the
others in the group respond, and then have the “FINAL WORD.”
Remind students to have more than one phrase or fact ready to discuss in
case another student who goes before has already chosen that phrase.
Numbered Heads
Turning Points Tool
Adaptations for English Language Learners
Teaching
High-Level
Mathematics
to English Language
Learners
in the Middle Grades
BEST PRACTICE:
NUMBERED HEADS ASSESSMENT
STRATEGY
• encourages all students to hold each
other accountable
• encourages all students to
collaborate in creating a thoughtful
and thorough response
• ensures that all students are given a
chance to respond publicly
• efficient way to check for
understanding with entire class and
immediately address misconceptions
and misunderstandings
Small Group
discussion
#1 #2 #1 #2
➟ ➟
➟
➟
➟ ➟
#4 #3 #4 #3
#4 #4
All #4s
SHARE
Share
out to class
All #1s
SHARE
#1 #1
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
Numbered Heads p.2
Overview
Numbered Heads is a simple and efficient strategy to check for student
understanding throughout a lesson so that any misunderstandings or
partial understandings can be immediately addressed. Since errors and
misunderstandings can be flushed out and resolved as soon as they
arise, this formative assessment strategy is a very good strategy for
ensuring that all students reach mastery of critical mathematical
concepts as quickly and as accurately as possible.
Numbered heads also establishes important cultural norms for the math
classroom: It lets students know that every person in the class is
capable of and will be held accountable for discussing their own
answers and explanations to the class. It also sends the strong message
to all students that they are all responsible for making sure that their
partners or team members can adequately explain what the team or pair
has discussed in their group. This supports the actively listening that
they are required to do throughout the lesson as well as well as
encourages them to ask each other good questions, to make sure that
they check for understanding, and that they learn how to develop a
good explanation for each response they give.
Numbered heads should be used after students have explored critical
concepts using think/write/pair/share or other cooperative speaking,
writing and listening strategies. For ELLs, it gives them an opportunity
to rehearse their answers and gain a sense of confidence before
they are required to speak in front of the class as a whole.
BEST PRACTICE:
RESPONSE/FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION/RESPONSE
• gives English language learners
several opportunities to use the
language of mathematics
• models a typical discussion for
English language learners
• encourages students to go
deeper in understanding the
problem
• provides pattern language as
entry points for English language
learners
SPEAK
➟
I notice that...
RESPOND
QUESTION
What else do you notice?
Why do you think that is
important?
➟
RESPOND
It is important
because...
For example:
BEST PRACTICE:
SENTENCE FRAMES/
PATTERN LANGUAGE
•provide a clear scaffold for
English language learners
which they can use to
participate in discussions
•are practiced with students
before they are asked to
use them individually
•allow students to have
some choice in their
responses
•encourage higher order
thinking.
Provide a general overview of the process, then give the directions one at a time, and only just before the
students are to do that particular part of the discussion.
Make sure the directions are clear and precise at each stage of the procedure.
Reduce language load by using as few words as possible.
Use body language.
Write the steps on the board, emphasizing key words (both nouns and verbs.)
Use symbols or pictures or different colored markers.
Don’t crowd the board or the handout. Leave plenty of white space.
Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.
Model each step of the directions, then ask one or two students to model them for class. Check for
understanding from all students.
Make absolutely sure that students have adequate time to think, plan and carry out the instruction. Use
one full minute, timed, as the rule of thumb, for the time needed to think and respond.
Set a purpose for speaking. If the student is a speaker, s/he should know exactly what she is supposed to
speak about, what her audience should gain from her speaking, and what a good contribution sounds like.
Model appropriate responses and ask students to list the characteristics of a good response. Check for
understanding.
Set a purpose for listening. If the students are the listeners, they should be told exactly why they are
listening and what will be expected of them after the speaker finishes. Each student must know exactly
what s/he is supposed to do and how s/he will be held accountable for doing it well. Model appropriate
responses and ask them to list the characteristics of a good response. Check for understanding.
If students are working in groups, design every role and every group activity so that each student is
required to really think throughout the time they are in that role. Without that, students are not able to
hold meaningful or extended discussions.
Encourage every student to actively participate and structure their roles so that they all must actively
participate as speakers, as doers, and as listeners.
Encourage risk taking and collaborative thinking. Tell them explicitly that any thoughtful idea counts as long
as each person participates and they all thoughtfully and respectfully consider every response.
Give them the language structure to use in these kinds of discussions. “I agree with you because….” “I
have another way of thinking about it…. It’s different because…., “etc.
Include a debrief!!! Make sure students are given time to reflect upon what worked and what didn't work,
and how you and they can make it better next time. Providing a list of reflective questions helps them learn
how to reflect and demonstrates the difference between telling what happened and reflecting on what
happened.
Model using the pattern language in several different contexts with which they are
already familiar but never introduce it by itself. Always introduce it when it is necessary
for the particular rich mathematical discovery on which the students are presently
working.
Ask them to listen for clues about when this phrase is used.
Ask them to try out the phrase with a partner, each person taking turns.
Ask one person from several pairs to say their phrases outloud/check for understanding.
Require them to use the phrase when it is appropriate, and check that it is being used
appropriately.
************************************************************************************************
Wait until they master each set, then introduce new ones. Mix up old and new
phrases gradually until their repertoire of phrases becomes larger and larger and
more and more automatic.
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
QUESTIONS to ASK in ??
MATH CLASS
when someone is explaining his/her answer ??
??
Why do you think that? How do you know that is true?
You are doing a good job of telling us what you did. Now, can
you explain what you did, tell us why you did each step?
How do you know you have an accurate answer? How can you
prove/justify it?
Will this strategy work every time you are trying to figure out a
problem about ___________? When will it work? When won’t it
work?
If ..., then...
Since .... we know that ..... Also, .... Therefore, we can conclude
that....
When computing ...... and ...., I noticed that both _____ had the
same _______, while they had different _______.
What do you think you know about this problem? What do you
??
??
know for sure?
Look at the problem carefully. Can you write down everything you notice
that you think might be needed to solve the problem?
In what ways is this problem similar to others we have worked on? Look
carefully and notice all the similarities.
In what ways is it different? Look carefully and notice all the differences.
What do you already know about the situation described in this problem?
List all of the things you already know about the situation or the math that is
involved.
What strategy will you try to solve this problem? What will be the first step?
What is the main question this problem is asking you to figure out?
Are there any words or phrases that are confusing to you, or used in a
special way in this problem?
Can you draw a picture or create a chart or graph for this problem?
What patterns do you notice? What changes in the pattern and what stays
the same?
One thing I don’t know is.... or One thing I’m not sure about
is...
Today, one worker called in sick, so there are only three workers.
Yesterday any # employee didnʼt come therefore only any # employees
cook quit cooks
chef got another job chefs
painter painters
For example:
Today, two employees didnʼt come, therefore there are only four cooks.
For example:
How long will it take them to finish the project?
Student created problem: A certain kitchen project usually takes six cooks an hour.
Today, two employees didnʼt come, therefore there are only four cooks. How long
should it take to finish the project?
BEST PRACTICE:
PROVIDING an ORGANIZING
TEMPLATE/GRAPHIC
ORGANIZER
•saves time
•focuses English language
learners’ attention on the
mathematical concepts rather
than copying in a new language
• models how to organize
information
•provides clear way students can
organize information
•creates expectations about # and
quality of responses
Content
Content
Instruction
Instruction
Other Other
This tool is designed to help math teachers in the middle grades provide English language learners with the
opportunities all students deserve: access to and support in successfully learning high-level mathematics
and the critical life skills and opportunities it provides.
How does this tool define “high-level mathematics in the middle grades”?
Learning and mastering high-level mathematics in the middle grades, as defined in the tool, includes the
following characteristics:
• Complex challenges, multi-step problems allowing for more than one solution path, different strategies,
different entry points for different students
• Believable contexts that illustrate how mathematics is useful in everyday life, in science, in business
and students’ communities and families
• Collaborative work with other students, where all students are accountable for what the group (small
working group or the whole class) is learning
• “Meaty” problems that encourage discussing the reasons for different approaches, stating and
clarifying ideas, developing academic language to describe the problem, solution strategies and
results, and confronting gaps in one’s thinking
• Ways to organize information and look for patterns
• Explaining – so other students can understand – how they solved (or are solving a problem) and how
they know when their answers make sense.
High-level middle school mathematics problems are challenging for middle grades students. Students work
in groups on problems that are slightly—but not too far—out of their comfort zone. Students make their own
plans for how to proceed, and are required to explain their discoveries and their process through speaking
and writing – and most important, to defend their methods and conclusions.
Another term used in this tool and by researchers (Smith and Stein) to describe the work students do in
such classrooms is “doing mathematics.” This term was coined to distinguish high-level mathematics from
rote learning and/or following formulas to solve problems that research has shown is used in many
classrooms throughout the United States, including those that enroll English language learners.
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
Answers to Frequently Asked
Questions (continued)
How is “high-level mathematics” different from “mathematics” in the middle grades? Aren’t they the
same?
The goals listed above for “high-level” mathematics have always been among the goals of mathematics
education, but “traditional” mathematics education has often put them in separate compartments, based on
the premise that students must master basic skills and algorithms by rote before they can apply them to
challenging problems. The result—most students learn to think of mathematics as a series of unrelated skills
with no rhyme or reason, no connection to their own lives.
In addition, recent research has indicated that many teachers routinely lower the cognitive demand of
problems as initially presented in textbooks, especially those specifically funded by the National Science
Foundation to emphasize a constructive approach to learning mathematics (Smith and Stein). For example,
teachers may tell students the steps they should take to solve a problem or give them algorithms or tricks to
reach an answer without helping students develop their own understanding of how and why certain strategies
work and what strategies are also possible.
What are the characteristics of teaching high-level mathematics to English language learners?
Teachers who support English language learners, and all other students, to learn high-level mathematics are
active through every step of the learning process; not by telling the students what to do or giving them the
answers but by planning lessons that pose rich mathematical questions, by asking just the right questions, by
listening carefully to their students’ responses, by redirecting their focus when misconceptions or
misdirections surface, by presenting students with interesting challenges, by offering them a range of
materials they can use to solve problems and by requiring students to explain their thinking throughout the
lesson. Teachers encourage students to actively participate in mathematics lessons by introducing and
practicing the language structures and vocabulary they need to do so and making sure they use them
consistently throughout every lesson.
(Please see Best Instructional Practices for Teaching High-Level Mathematics to English Language
Learners included in the Participant’s Packet to Workshop 1 and Facilitator’s Guide to the Workshop Series
for a fully developed description of the characteristics.
How is this approach to teaching mathematics particular for middle grades students?
Middle grades students seek challenges and a chance to express their own ideas. Teaching high-level
mathematics to English language learners, and all other students in the middle grades, takes advantage of
these key developmental traits of adolescence. Lessons that focus on high-level mathematics build in these
traits by requiring all students
• to choose a method for solving a problem,
• to discuss these choices with peers,
• to come up with workable and provable solutions that everyone can agree upon and everyone can
explain with accuracy and clarity and
• to apply this new knowledge to real life solutions that are meaningful to them and important
to the community at large.
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
Answers to Frequently Asked
Questions (continued)
Aren’t these the same strategies and approaches that are successful with all students? Are there
any strategies that are unique to English language learners?
All middle grades students need the kind of support outlined above in order to learn the language of
mathematics and master high-level mathematics. The strategies listed above can and should be used
with middle grades students in general.
There are some challenges, however, that are unique to English language learners. Mastering middle
grades mathematics means beginning to learn how to think as mathematicians. Thinking requires talking,
listening, responding, reflecting and rethinking; it is by is nature language based. Middle grades students
need support in mastering the language of mathematics, which is essentially a foreign language to almost
every student who enters a math classroom.
Teachers, however, need to be especially vigilant in planning lessons for English language learners since
these students are learning not just the language of mathematics but English as well. Teachers need to
listen to and talk to English language learners in ways that take into consideration the specific and
individual language and cultural needs of each language learner. They need to make sure that every
English language learner learns how to express himself/herself so that they can actively participate in the
lessons and develop the thinking strategies they need to master high-level mathematics.
This tool provides many different strategies that provide support so that a broad range of English
language learners have access to and master high-level mathematics. This tool also provides information
and encourages teachers to learn how to identify and access the needs of the individual English language
learners in their own classrooms and design individualized support for them throughout their lessons.
(See the reading “Learning the Language of Mathematics in the Middle Grades” in the Participant’s
Packet and the Facilitator’s Guide to Workshop 1 for a detailed discussion of the important language
issues English language learners face in mathematics classrooms.)
Does this tool address the needs of English language learners who enter middle grades without
mastery of basic computational skills?
English language learners, as well as native speakers of English, are very divergent in terms of their
mastery of computational skills and mathematical facts. All of the strategies in this tool have been used in
classrooms with English language learners entering with a great range of facility in mathematical and
computational understanding and knowledge.
This tool focuses on providing all of these students with access to high-level mathematics in the middle
grades, whether or not they are weak in computational skills and their knowledge of mathematical facts.
This tool is designed therefore not to supplant support in these areas but to ensure that all English
language learners are provided the opportunity to learn the high-level middle grades mathematics they
need to move forward in school.
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
Answers to Frequently Asked
Questions (continued)
English language learners are a highly diverse group. Is access to high-level mathematics featured in
the tool addressed to a particular group or level of English language acquisition?
This tool is designed to provide access to a broad range of English language learners from who enter the
classroom in the beginning levels of English language acquisition to those in more advanced levels. The
strategies demonstrate how to use the diversity of students’ background knowledge, language of origin, and
ways in which they were taught mathematics.
The laws and regulations governing the teaching and assessment of English language learners differ
from state to state. Is the tool designed to work in a particular state or group of states?
This tool does not take a stand on any of the laws and regulations governing the teaching and assessment of
English language learners. It can be used in a broad variety of classroom settings, including bilingual, ESL
and SIOP settings.
Does the tool follow a particular model of training such as SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Operational
Protocol) or CALLA (Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach)?
This tool integrates the knowledge base and experience of a broad range of research based approaches
successful in teaching English language learners, including SIOP and CALLA, as well as those that are
effective in teaching high-level mathematics to middle grades students. Please see the reference and
research section for further information.
Why is so much time devoted in the workshop series and in the model lessons to language based
activities - talking, listening, writing and responding?
Middle grades students need careful and continuous support as they move from the basic computation and
arithmetic of elementary school to the more complex topics of the middle grades: ratios and proportion,
geometry, graphing and data analysis, functions and algebra. They also need explicit instruction in learning
and using the language of mathematics; without facility in that language they are unable to discuss, process
and understand the concepts of middle grades mathematics and beyond. Providing such support is
especially critical for English language learners learning high-level mathematics.
Selected Resources
•Adler, J. B. (2001) Teaching Mathematics in the Multilingual Classroom. Series: Mathematics Education
Library, Vol. 26
• Burns, M. (1990). A Collection of Math Lessons Grades 6‐8. Math Solutions
• Burns, M. (1995). Writing in Math Class. Math Solutions
• Burns, M. (2006) Marilyn Burns on the Language of Mathematics. Instructor Magazine
•Coggins, D., Kraven, D., Coates, G.D. and Carroll, M.D. (2007) English language learners in the mathematics
classroom. Corwin Press.
•Evans, Linda. Building Background ‐ BeneWits of Using Sentence Frames to Build Background Knowledge.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_L_Evans
•Heinze, L. (2005). The Language of Mathematics. Presentation at TESOL Conference. http://
kathrynheinze.efoliomn2.comhttp://kathrynheinze.efoliomn2.com
• Irujo, Suzanne. (November/December 2007). Putting it All Together: Integrating Academic Math Language
into Math Teaching. The ELL Outlook (online resource)
•Irujo, Suzanne. (March/April 2007). Teaching Math to English Language Learners: Can Research Help? The
ELL Outlook (online resource)
•Irujo, Suzanne. (May/June 2007) So Just What is the Academic Language of Mathematics? The ELL Outlook
(online resource)
•Moschkovich, J. N. Understanding the needs of Latino students in reform‐oriented mathematics classrooms.
In L. Ortiz‐Franco, N. Hernandez, and Y. De La Cruz (Eds.), Changing the Faces of Mathematics (Vol. 4):
Perspectives on Latinos. Reston, VA:NCTM, 5‐12.
•National Council of La Raza (2005) Educating English Language Learners: Implementing Instructional
Practices.
•Slavit, D. and Ernst‐Slavit, G. (2007). Teaching Mathematics and English to English Language Learners
Simultaneously. Middle School Journal, November 2007. Volume 39. Number 2. Pages 4‐11.
•West Ed (2008). Helping English Language Learners acquire the language of mathematics. R&D Alert, Vol, 9,
No.1, 2008.
•www.ncela.gwu.edu/Wiles/uploads/3/mathforELLs.pdf
Selected References
•August, S. (2006). Developing Literacy in Second‐Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on
Language‐Minority Children and Youth. Center for Applied Linguistics.
•Brown, C. (2005) Equity of Literacy‐Based Math Performance Assessments for English Language Learners.
http://brj.asu.edu/content/vol29_no2/art5.pdf
• Bruner, J. (1966) Process of Education. Harvard University Press.
•Celeson‐Pattichis, S. (2009) Research Findings Involving English Language Learners and Implications for
Mathematics Teachers. NCTM
•Council of Great City Schools. (2003) English Language Learners in the Great City Schools: Survey Results on
Students, Languages and Programs.
•Dolan, S. (2009). Missing Out: Latino Students in America’s Schools. National Council of La Raza.
• Francis. D. (2006). Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners. LEP Partnership
Meeting Presentation.
• Francis. D. and Rivera, M. (2006). Research‐Based Recommendations for Serving Adolescent Newcomers.
Center of Instruction.
•Heller, R. and Greenleaf, C. (2007). Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas. Alliance for Excellent Education.
• Kieffer, M., Lesaux, N. & Snow. C. (2008) Promises and Pitfalls: Implications of No Child Left Behind for
DeWining, Assessing, and Serving English Language Learners. The Regents of the University of California.
•Learning, Institute for. High-Level Algebra and Geometry Tasks: Resources for Both Student and Teacher Learning.
Connexions. 2 Apr. 2008 <http://cnx.org/content/m15958/1.2/>.
•Moschkovich, J. N. Understanding the needs of Latino students in reform‐oriented mathematics classrooms.
In L. Ortiz‐Franco, N. Hernandez, and Y. De La Cruz (Eds.), Changing the Faces of Mathematics (Vol. 4):
Perspectives on Latinos. Reston, VA:NCTM, 5‐12.
•National Council of Teachers of English. (2008). ELL Research Brief
• Robertson, Kristina.(2009). Math Instruction for English Language Learners. http://www.colorincolorado.org.
•Slavit, D. and Ernst‐Slavit, G. (2007). Teaching Mathematics and English to English Language Learners
Simultaneously. Middle School Journal, November 2007. Volume 39. Number 2. Pages 4‐11.
Stein, M.K., Smith, M.S., Henningsen, M., & Silver, E.A. (2000). Implementing Standards-based Mathematics
Instruction: ACasebook for Professional Development. Second Edition. New York: Teachers College Press.
Vialpando, J. and Yedlin, J. (2005) Educating English Language Learners: Implementing Instructional Practices.
National Council of La Raza.
Walqui, A.( 2006). Scaffolding instruction for English Language Learners: A Conceptual Framework. International
Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 9(2),159-180.
© Copyright 2009 Center for Collaborative Education/Turning Points
For additional information
contact: