Constructing Educational Opportunities Through Translingual Mathematics Instruction

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 4:55 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Student Learning and Engagement in Mathematics (Table 27)

Abstract

This preliminary study reports findings from a Precalculus course that was taught using translingual methods in English and Spanish. Translingual refers to an environment that invites multilingual speakers to move fluidly between languages, utilizing the language of their choice. We sought to determine the ways in which translingual strategies supported bilingual Spanish students’ learning of Precalculus and how their reactions to the course can inform further implementations. Data were collected through surveys and interviews of students in two sections of a translingual course. The results of the study indicate the positive benefits to students’ understanding of Precalculus as well as to their sense of belonging within the classroom and college communities.

Authors

• Mika Munakata, Montclair State University

• Eileen Fernandez, Montclair State University