Content Area Instruction and SDAIE - Essay Example

Such equality, at learning institutions, can be tackled if educators offer well-designed assistance to their ELLs (Math Solutions, 2009). This paper will discuss the challenges English Language Learners face while trying to learn mathematics. A lot of educators share the misconception or myth that because mathematics applies a lot of symbols, then the subject is not associated or connected to any culture or language (Haynes, 2011). A majority of educators also supposed that mathematics is ideal for facilitating the changeover of recent immigrant learners into English instructions.

To their disbelief, language has a significant role in learning mathematics. Educators apply language so as to explain mathematical ideas, as well as carry out mathematical procedures. When solving mathematical problems, students use specialized vocabulary such as subtraction, addition, sum and addend. Mathematics researchers have discovered that learners widen their math understanding through using language, as well as echoing on the concepts, which will cement their understanding. When students discuss their mathematical reasoning, it can assist them in improving their capability of reasoning logically (Haynes, 2011).

The challenge or hurdle of teaching math to these ELLs lies not just in making mathematics comprehensible to the learners, but also in making sure that the learners have the language required to understand/interpret instructions. The challenge also lies in the fact that is it tedious to assist ELLs to express their understanding of mathematical concepts both in writing and orally (Math Solutions, 2009). English Language Learners have a duty of learning content, as well as English as a second language, at the same time.

It is, therefore, difficult for them to understand both the content, as well as language objectives. Language can never occur if ELLs center only on subject matter, and same is the case for content knowledge. It can never occur if ELLs center only on understanding the English language. Another challenge that ELLs might face while studying mathematics is trying to understand unknown vocabulary. For instance, English Language Learners might become puzzled during a discussion or debate in case the math vocabulary has diverse meanings in its daily application.

Such words include even, function and odd among others (Math Solutions, 2009). The ELLs might also be puzzled further than before when a similar math operation is signaled with various math terms for instance plus, and, add, sum or combine. A phrase such as "left" will be confusing to an ELL when used in a mathematical operation to ask how many individuals are "left". The ELL might confuse this left – remain – with the directional left. The phrases "whole" and "sum" also can create confusion since they carry nonmathematical homonyms – hole and some (Simmons, 2012).

Another challenge is with a partial understanding of grammar and syntax. For instance, mathematical queries are frequently set in a language, which makes the problem difficult or unclear for the student. Such matter is explained below: John bought four bags of mangoes with eight mangoes in each bag. How many mangoes did John buy? The above problem employees both present and past participles of the irregular verb "to buy" in a single question. This might be difficult for an ELL to understand since they are not well in English. Another