Session Information
31 SES 04 A JS, Developing Students' Literacy Skills - Joint Session NW11, NW 24 and NW 31
Joint Paper Session NW11, NW 24 and NW 31
Contribution
This purpose of the current research is significance of teaching mathematical vocabulary to second language learners. The quantitative research design was used for this research: quantitative method was utilized through test (survey) to check students’ knowledge of understanding mathematics vocabulary related to the topic.
In recent times, Kazakhstan has started to introduce the practice of Content and Language Integrated Learning or commonly called CLIL with English as the L2. CLIL “is an approach or method which integrates the teaching of content from the curriculum with the teaching of a non-native language” Bentley (2010, p.5).
Knowing correct vocabulary in mathematics is to make possible for students to manipulate mathematical ideas to solve problems (Lee, p.17). To avoid misunderstanding of mathematical vocabulary can be realized through pre-teaching key vocabulary, preparing students for a new lesson. If students catch on subject’s term, they will be interested and motivated in mathematics. Shortage of studying the specific vocabulary in mathematics usually becomes difficult to understand some sources or theme. Chard (2002) states that “pre-teaching vocabulary in the mathematics classroom removes cognitive barriers that prevent children from grasping new content” (p.2). I tend to emphasize developing students’ more detailed understanding of mathematics language through pre-teaching vocabulary.
The research question one: What is the role of teaching vocabulary in CLIL?
There are different points of view on how many words learners have to know to understand the second language. Thornbury (2002) considers that commonly a native speaker has vocabulary of about 20,000 words. It could be enough for adult second language learners to know 5,000 words families. The most significant group of words is the high frequency word of the language. Nation (2010) recognizes that high frequency words list around 2,000 word families which give opportunity to work and understand the language (p.8). Eldridge, Neufeld and Hanciogᵕlu (2010) state that students should have “prior knowledge of around 95 % words of the items in the text”so as to understand the text (Hancioglu at.al, 2010, p.85).
Researchers defined quantities of words for studying English language. However, mathematics usually contains symbols and subject specific vocabulary, so general vocabulary for this subject is not enough. Therefore, leaning specific vocabulary is important
The second research question: Is it important to pre-teach specific mathematics vocabulary before teaching new topic?
According to Novotná and Hofmannová while teaching mathematics in second language (e.g., English) the interaction of three languages can occur: that is mother tongue, second language and the language of mathematics which can have some obstacles related to CLIL in mathematics lessons. Riccomini and Witzel (2010) report so that learners can use and understand mathematical language it is necessary to develop the mathematical vocabulary which consists of technical and content specific terms and symbols (p.116).
Chard (2002) points out that making vocabulary teaching is a part of everyday mathematics lesson. Teachers must be able to introduce an appropriate type of vocabulary according to the curriculum and help students make key connections with their prior knowledge. Some strategies were suggested by Chard (2002) such as pre-teaching vocabulary, model vocabulary, and appropriate labels. At the start of a new lesson pre-teaching mathematical vocabulary helps students to take away cognitive barriers in understanding of a new theme. Nation (2010) defines that pre-teaching vocabulary has positive effect on teaching vocabulary, but it takes time with rich instructions. Rich instruction contains spending approximately 4 or 5 minutes per word to identify form, meaning and how to use this word. This time can be valued during the lesson, because teaching new words from text is one of most important factors to understand the text (Nation, 2010, p.60).
Method
After analysing literature, I decided to apply the proposed method in my teaching practice. That is, I started to pre-teach mathematical vocabulary in grade 7 and check students' background knowledge regarding the topic and its vocabulary. I realize that preparing students for a new lesson gives students an opportunity to comprehend new concepts (theme). That is why this part of my lesson will emphasize teaching mathematical vocabulary definitions through pre-teaching vocabulary strategies which was mentioned in Chard’s (2002) research. For this reason, in teaching geometry topic “Types of triangles” I have focused on teaching mathematical vocabulary as a pre-teaching activity in grade 7. Pre-teaching vocabulary (vertex, angle, obtuse angle, acute angle, right angle, scalene, isosceles, equilateral) tends to enable students to clarify exact meanings of words before they will be used at the lesson. I thought vocabulary through nonlinguistic representations in these sequences as suggested by Barton, Heidema and Jordan (2002): There have been considered 3 stages of pre – teaching vocabulary. Each stage of pre-teaching vocabulary includes instruction which is interwoven (with teaching vocabulary). At the lesson students have to understand instructions of the subject so as to learn effectively as Riccomini and Witzel (2010) stated. According to the investigation of Otterburn and Nicholson (1976) I did a class survey to find out the students’ general knowledge of specific vocabulary related to a geometry subject. The students were given an answer sheet on which there were a list of 19 words in geometry of grade 7. The analysis of this questionnaire shows that it was difficult for some students to answer and to understand the given vocabulary. These words (ray, vertex, plane, median) had the highest blank of the answers. Also, confused answers were words such as ray, vertex, and plane. Overall, the questionnaire was conducted to find out the students’ knowledge of understanding of mathematical vocabulary. Otterburn and Nicholson (1976) considered that mathematical vocabulary is a part of language which is used in examination questions. Studying of mathematical terms is not a separable part of mathematical language and it needs to be studied in everyday lesson. According to the questionnaire results students did not cope with the task in 100%, because they did not know mathematics vocabulary and it can be suggested that pre-teaching mathematical vocabulary is important.
Expected Outcomes
The goal of the action research was to investigate and analyze literature on importance of pre-teaching mathematical vocabulary and to find out effective ways of pre-teaching vocabulary. It was proved that pre-teaching of mathematical vocabulary is essential, because it is impossible for students to understand the mathematical language without it. However, devoting separate time to teaching terminology of new topic is a consume a time. Summarizing my conducted lessons, I found that I have spent about 12-16 minutes learning new vocabulary before teaching new topic. These results reveal that pre – teaching vocabulary is not effective teaching stage of the lesson. Thornbory establishes that in pre-teaching vocabulary usually spend overall 20 minutes during the lesson therefore instead of pre-teaching would be better to use post-teaching. According to these researchers’ investigations, pre-teaching vocabulary tends to influence double: eliciting background knowledge and introducing new words with limited size (Thornbory n.d.). Unknown words or phrases can hold up with students’ understanding. Pre-teaching vocabulary may help first is a lack of vocabulary knowledge; another is difficultly in using language cues to meaning; and the third is lack of conceptual knowledge vocabulary problem (Mihara, 2011, p.52). Therefore, pre-teaching vocabulary should be done for high frequency words which are important (Nation, 2010, p.60).
References
References [1] Bentley, K. (2010). The TKT course CLIL module. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [2] Chard, D. (2002). Vocabulary strategies for the mathematics classroom. Retrieved from www.eduplace.com 21.02.2012. [3] Coyle D., Hood P., & March D., (2010). Content and Language Integrated Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [4] Deller, D., Price C. (2007). Teaching Other Subjects Though English. Oxford, Oxford University Press. [5] Hofmannová,M. Novotná,J., & Pípalová, R. (2008). Assessment Approaches to Teac Mathematics in English as a Foreign Language. International CLIL Research Journal,1,(1),35. http://www.icrj.eu February, 25, 2012. [6] Hancioglu, N., Neufeld, S., & Eldridge, J. (2010). Towards a Lexical Framework for CLIL. International CLIL Research Journal, 1 (3).80-94. http://www.icrj.eu 01.02.2012. [7] Jackson, M. B., Phillips, E. R. (1983). Vocabulary Instruction in Ratio and Proportion for Seventh Graders. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 14(5), 337-343. Retrieved from JSTOR. 01.03.2012. [8] Lee, C. (2006). Language for Learning Mathematics. USA: NY. Open University Press. [9] Lewis, M., Hill, J.(1992). Practical techniques for language teachers. Global ELT: Christopher Wenger. [10] Nation I.S.P. (2008). Teaching Vocabulary: Strategies and Techniques. Heinle, Cengage Learning. [11] Novotná, J., Hofmannová M CLIL and mathematics education. Retrieved from http://math.unipa.it 21.02.2012. [12] Otterburn M.K., Nicholson A. R. (1976). The Language of (CSE) Mathematics. Mathematics in School , 5 (5), 18-20. Retrieved from JSTOR. 01.04.2012. [13] Riccomini P.J., Witzel B. S. (2010). Response to Intervention in Math. USA:Library of Congress Cataloging –in- Publication Date. Retrieved from Google Books. [14] Thornbury, S. (2002). How to teach vocabulary. Malaysia, Pearson Education Limited.
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