Positioning Emergent Bilinguals in Mathematics: A Case Study of a Middle School Teacher

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding Equitable and Inequitable Mathematics Instruction for Historically Marginalized Students (Table 3)

Abstract

This study investigated how a middle school mathematics teacher positions herself and her students in the context of teaching Emergent Bilinguals. The teacher's discourses during the planning meetings and teaching sessions were analyzed through the lens of positioning theory. The strongest patterns in the teacher’s positioning were assessor and supporter, respectively. In the planning sessions, the teacher positioned herself as one who assesses EBs’ readiness in mathematics and English and revealed her views that her EBs were not currently ready to do many mathematical and linguistic tasks suggested by the researcher. However, her positioning EBs as capable problem-solvers was clear and consistent through all co-planning and co-teaching sessions.

Authors

• Ji Yeong I, Iowa State University

• Coskun Erden, Iowa State University

• Betsy Araujo Grando, Iowa State University