The effect of teaching mathematics in a second language on Lebanese students' conceptual understanding and higher levels of thinking

Abstract

It is believed that understanding mathematics necessitates that both teachers and students master the language of instruction (LOI) as language is the foundation for deep mathematical understanding. In Lebanon, schools mostly teach mathematics in a second language (L2), either French or English. The purpose of the study is to examine second language as a factor affecting the development of elementary students’ conceptual understanding and high levels of thinking skills in mathematics. This mixed methods case study was conducted in three Grade 3 classrooms of a Lebanese private school in a rural area, where students and teachers are from families with low or medium SES. In the different classrooms, learners were allowed to deploy L1 to varying extents. Data sources included observations, interviews, and mathematics tests. A thematic approach was employed through an in-depth analysis of interactions, discussions, and experiences. It was found that across the groups, students have a tendency to use L1 for various reasons such as expressing themselves easily, sharing concerns, joking around etc. Moreover, the discourse pattern in mathematics classroom discussions is based on Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF). The findings revealed that the participation of multilingual learners in classroom interactions increased when they were allowed to use L1 as opposed to L2. This increase in student participation was particularly evident in discussions related to high-level problems. Additionally, the more students were allowed to use L1, the higher the percentage of conceptual utterances was. Implications and recommendations for subsequent research as well teachers’ coping strategies and scaffolds are further discussed.