title: Teaching mathematics to English language learners: A comparative study of issues faced by teachers in New Zealand and the United States

authors: Jourdain, Laura Violet

subjects: education

abstract: New Zealand and the United States are both ethnically and linguistically diverse. With this diversity comes high numbers of English language learners in school classrooms. This is a challenge for teachers of mathematics, both mathematics specialist teachers, and those who teach mathematics as part of a wider primary/elementary curriculum, because mathematics is bound by language and culture, leading to challenges when teaching mathematics to English language learners. Understanding the issues teachers face when teaching English language learners mathematics enables these issues to be addressed. 

This study sought to understand the issues teachers face when teaching mathematics to English language learners. A comparative, qualitative study of ten teachers was undertaken; five teachers from New Zealand and five teachers from the United States. Each teacher participated in an individual, semi-structured interview over webcam. 

There were issues that teachers in both countries faced. Culture and building parental relationships impacted all teachers. Teachers in both countries had issues with mathematical language and word problems. There were also concerns about the amount of training teachers’ received and funding for English language learners. There were also issues unique to each country. In the United States, teachers were concerned with their own ability to speak Spanish, while in New Zealand teachers were concerned with the cultural appropriateness of the Numeracy Project.

Further research could be undertaken to gain a deeper understanding of the issues teachers face, especially because of the small sample size in this study. Understanding these issues can enable positive changes both in policy and at the school level to better support teachers in teaching mathematics to English language learners.

text: Teaching mathematics to English language learners: A comparative study of issues faced by teachers in New Zealand and the United States New Zealand and the United States are both ethnically and linguistically diverse. With this diversity comes high numbers of English language learners in school classrooms. This is a challenge for teachers of mathematics, both mathematics specialist teachers, and those who teach mathematics as part of a wider primary/elementary curriculum, because mathematics is bound by language and culture, leading to challenges when teaching mathematics to English language learners. Understanding the issues teachers face when teaching English language learners mathematics enables these issues to be addressed. 

This study sought to understand the issues teachers face when teaching mathematics to English language learners. A comparative, qualitative study of ten teachers was undertaken; five teachers from New Zealand and five teachers from the United States. Each teacher participated in an individual, semi-structured interview over webcam. 

There were issues that teachers in both countries faced. Culture and building parental relationships impacted all teachers. Teachers in both countries had issues with mathematical language and word problems. There were also concerns about the amount of training teachers’ received and funding for English language learners. There were also issues unique to each country. In the United States, teachers were concerned with their own ability to speak Spanish, while in New Zealand teachers were concerned with the cultural appropriateness of the Numeracy Project.

Further research could be undertaken to gain a deeper understanding of the issues teachers face, especially because of the small sample size in this study. Understanding these issues can enable positive changes both in policy and at the school level to better support teachers in teaching mathematics to English language learners.

year: 2015

title: “Use-It-or-Lose-It”? Interrogating an educational message from teen brain research

authors: Payne, Monica A.

subjects: education

abstract: Recent neuroimaging research has encouraged a fundamental shift in psychological thinking about cognitive development in adolescence. Challenging the existing view that early childhood was the most critical period for intellectually hard-wiring the brain, findings led researchers to speculate that early adolescence might be the more important use-it-or-lose-it period. Despite cautions from critics and some neuroscientists themselves, the new story seems to be following its predecessor in acquiring the status of hard fact. An eclectic sampling of texts examines possible implications of the penetration of this hypothesis into educational discourse. Elements of classism and adultism are identified, and considered with reference to contemporary understandings of adolescence as a period when lifelong habits and lifestyles are established.

text: “Use-It-or-Lose-It”? Interrogating an educational message from teen brain research Recent neuroimaging research has encouraged a fundamental shift in psychological thinking about cognitive development in adolescence. Challenging the existing view that early childhood was the most critical period for intellectually hard-wiring the brain, findings led researchers to speculate that early adolescence might be the more important use-it-or-lose-it period. Despite cautions from critics and some neuroscientists themselves, the new story seems to be following its predecessor in acquiring the status of hard fact. An eclectic sampling of texts examines possible implications of the penetration of this hypothesis into educational discourse. Elements of classism and adultism are identified, and considered with reference to contemporary understandings of adolescence as a period when lifelong habits and lifestyles are established.

year: 2010

title: In what ways do the perceptions of connectedness of Māori students in Alternative Education secondary schools affect their self-efficacy within the learning environment?

authors: Lemon, Katrina Suezanne

subjects: Alternative Education

abstract: This study has sought to identify connectedness for Māori students within the alternative-education, learning environment and the effect this has had on their self-efficacy. Alternative education in New Zealand is described as a place where second chance learners have access to education (Alternative Education National Body New Zealand, 2016). Generally, students are referred to alternative education due to becoming habitual truants, while other students are deemed as behaviourally-challenging, and are consequently excluded from school (Education Review Office, 2010; Ministry of Education, 2016a). A Critical Theory approach was employed guided by Kaupapa Māori methodology. Data was collected using the qualitative methods of focus-group interviews and one-to-one semi-structured interviews. An open-coded approach was adopted to analyse the data from the interview transcripts where themes were selected, and a summary reflection was written. 

Three distant themes were identified during the data analysis phase: Tāhuhu Kōrero – Kura; Alternative Education – Kura; and Alternative Education Teaching and Learning Approaches.  Within these themes sub-themes were explored: perceptions and experiences of primary and secondary school; Māori in mainstream education; the referring schools involvement; misconceptions; connection to the alternative-education, learning environment; centre and teacher practices; connection with Māori; and pathways, mana, and self-efficacy. An important aspect of this study was to seek to understand these students’ prior educational experiences before gathering their narratives on the alternative-education, learning environment. This was a strength of the study as the student narratives on their entire educational journey provided a depth of understanding for the researcher, and went towards explaining their disconnection, how it happened, and gave context to their referral to alternative education. 

The student narratives expressed a strong sense of connection to their primary-school, learning environment, however, a complete disconnection to their secondary-school, learning environment. Students expressed feeling discriminated against for being Māori, that there was no empathy or understanding given to their lived realities despite wanting to succeed at school. They felt that their teachers did not make an effort to connect with them describing a power imbalance between the teachers and themselves. The students felt that expectations were low, and that teachers could not be bothered to help them with their work. The student participants attributed this disconnection to the reason for their truancy and behavioural issues. The student narratives on the alternative-education, learning environment described an environment that was: whānau; where teachers worked at a connection and understood their learners; challenging them academically; where the teachers were highly committed to their students; where trust and respect was built; and where one size did not fit all - flexibility was exercised. Students felt that the alternative-education, learning environment provided them with career ambition, and academic confidence resulting in self-efficacy. 

This study provides student voice from a group that was overlooked within the Te Kotahitanga research project (Bishop, Berryman, Tiakiwai, & Richardson, 2003). To hear the voice of alternative education students is important in seeking to improve educational success and enjoyment for Māori priority learners. If we get to know and understand what works for these priority learners, we can then work towards making a difference for them within mainstream education. This study aims to identify the importance of connectedness for Māori students and how connectedness will positively affect Māori learners and their self-efficacy. 


Kia mau ki tō Māoritanga.
Hold fast to your Māori culture.

text: In what ways do the perceptions of connectedness of Māori students in Alternative Education secondary schools affect their self-efficacy within the learning environment? This study has sought to identify connectedness for Māori students within the alternative-education, learning environment and the effect this has had on their self-efficacy. Alternative education in New Zealand is described as a place where second chance learners have access to education (Alternative Education National Body New Zealand, 2016). Generally, students are referred to alternative education due to becoming habitual truants, while other students are deemed as behaviourally-challenging, and are consequently excluded from school (Education Review Office, 2010; Ministry of Education, 2016a). A Critical Theory approach was employed guided by Kaupapa Māori methodology. Data was collected using the qualitative methods of focus-group interviews and one-to-one semi-structured interviews. An open-coded approach was adopted to analyse the data from the interview transcripts where themes were selected, and a summary reflection was written. 

Three distant themes were identified during the data analysis phase: Tāhuhu Kōrero – Kura; Alternative Education – Kura; and Alternative Education Teaching and Learning Approaches.  Within these themes sub-themes were explored: perceptions and experiences of primary and secondary school; Māori in mainstream education; the referring schools involvement; misconceptions; connection to the alternative-education, learning environment; centre and teacher practices; connection with Māori; and pathways, mana, and self-efficacy. An important aspect of this study was to seek to understand these students’ prior educational experiences before gathering their narratives on the alternative-education, learning environment. This was a strength of the study as the student narratives on their entire educational journey provided a depth of understanding for the researcher, and went towards explaining their disconnection, how it happened, and gave context to their referral to alternative education. 

The student narratives expressed a strong sense of connection to their primary-school, learning environment, however, a complete disconnection to their secondary-school, learning environment. Students expressed feeling discriminated against for being Māori, that there was no empathy or understanding given to their lived realities despite wanting to succeed at school. They felt that their teachers did not make an effort to connect with them describing a power imbalance between the teachers and themselves. The students felt that expectations were low, and that teachers could not be bothered to help them with their work. The student participants attributed this disconnection to the reason for their truancy and behavioural issues. The student narratives on the alternative-education, learning environment described an environment that was: whānau; where teachers worked at a connection and understood their learners; challenging them academically; where the teachers were highly committed to their students; where trust and respect was built; and where one size did not fit all - flexibility was exercised. Students felt that the alternative-education, learning environment provided them with career ambition, and academic confidence resulting in self-efficacy. 

This study provides student voice from a group that was overlooked within the Te Kotahitanga research project (Bishop, Berryman, Tiakiwai, & Richardson, 2003). To hear the voice of alternative education students is important in seeking to improve educational success and enjoyment for Māori priority learners. If we get to know and understand what works for these priority learners, we can then work towards making a difference for them within mainstream education. This study aims to identify the importance of connectedness for Māori students and how connectedness will positively affect Māori learners and their self-efficacy. 


Kia mau ki tō Māoritanga.
Hold fast to your Māori culture.

year: 2017