Language Minority Students: Math The ability to understand language is arguably the most important factor influencing academic success and development of language minority students skills and, therefore, demands special language minority programs and variety of special resources as well as language acquisition theories (Boyle 2005), examples of real-life scenarios . The majority of education experts consider that language minority students demand more time and efforts involved during their studies. Each child needs additional attention and requires an individual approach. Teachers also should spend more time in learning effective language minority techniques for better communicating and working with such children. To achieve effective results, teachers should look closely at students needs and help them as required. Although mathematics is a universal language that doesnt need constant explanation, the math classrooms hold special challenge for language minority students. It is very important to find an effective way for explaining, questioning, hypothesizing, describing, math tasks solving, clarifying and exemplifying the findings. The lesson must be planned in such a way to help language minority students understand the material and content by both oral and visual demonstration and, in such a way, to contribute to their success both in math and communicative skills.
The Essay on ACTIVE LEARNING FOR LANGUAGE MINORITY STUDENTS
How can we actually say we are learning the active way? Despite the wide range of learning techniques available nowadays, illiteracy is still one of the major problems of our society today. Hundreds of different schools, universities and colleges are being established every year and offer the latest and the most extensive state-of-the-art facilities for the students’ convenience and ease for ...
Lets examine the math lesson plan and explain how and why this lesson will adapt to the needs of all students, assuming that at least one third of them are language minority students. The teacher starts the lesson with explanation of the properties of a 45 45 90 triangle. He provides students with step-by-step instruction and explanations. As indicated on the first picture, the teacher asks students to find the value of x and y. Students can easily see that y equals ? diagonal. If the diagonal is 12, y equals 6.
The teacher draws the next picture, and proposes to students make calculations. Students easily solve the task and give correct answer. X equals 6 v3. The next picture illustrates explanation of properties of the equilateral triangle. The teacher explains properties of the equilateral triangle and proposes students to find the altitude (If an altitude of the equilateral triangle has a fine length of 6, the length of its altitude is?).
The students remember previous example and use the knowledge to find the altitude.
Teacher gives them time to think before they rush in the answers. The next step is to explain properties of 45 triangle and illustrates the following conclusion: In an isosceles and equilateral triangles the lengths of the legs are equal and the hypotenuse equals leg v2. This conclusion can be easily followed up by both English speaking and language minority students, because it is supported by graphics. Next drawing proposes the students to find x and y in an isosceles triangle, if one leg equals 4. Students can easily guess that x will equal 4 as from the previous conclusion that in an isosceles triangle the lengths of the legs are equal. Basing on the previous explanation, y = 4 v2 because in an isosceles triangle the hypotenuse equals leg v2. The next two samples are aimed to fix the material (sample where the leg equals 3 and 9).
Further the teacher proposes to find the length of a diagonal of a square is one of its sides measures 10. The students use the material learned at the previous stage of lesson and come to conclusion that the diagonal is 10 v2.
The Homework on Good Student And Good Teacher
Good teachers have a good qualifications and subject knowledge; they are organised, energetic and have empathy and good communication skills. This is obviously important for good education. However, it is really the diligence and intelligence of the student that determines whether learning will be successful or not. Although every student benefits from good teachers, only a fraction of a ...
The next sample is given to fix the material (to find the length of a diagonal of a square is one of its sides measures 30 v2).
And the final part of the lesson is to find the perimeter and the area of the square if the diagonal is 30 v2 and the sides equal 30. The perimeter equals 4*30, whereas the square equals 900. Al calculations are easy to understand and are explained graphically. In such a way, the math lesson is adapted to the math ability of students, the language of instruction and explanation is chosen carefully and properly each explanation is illustrated with an example and graphics to achieve better understanding (Snow 1992), the teacher uses pedagogical strategies that help language minority students develop mathematical knowledge.
Bibliography:
Peregoy, S., Boyle, O.
(2005).
Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL. Pearson Education: New York Richard-Amato, P.A., Snow, M.A. (1992).
The multicultural classroom: Readings for content-area teachers. White Plains, NY: Longman.
