Dec. 10, 2015
Teaching 1.5 generation students
Often, when the topic of diversity in today鈥檚 classrooms comes up, the discussion centres on language abilities鈥攎ostly because the students come from such varied backgrounds.
So it鈥檚 a natural assumption that, with such linguistic and cultural diversity, the biggest challenge is to overcome the language barriers that may arise.
But what about the other subjects? Take math, for example. How can lessons be designed to facilitate mathematics learning for all students in today鈥檚 diverse Canadian classrooms?
That鈥檚 what wants to find out, and she鈥檚 just been awarded a (SSHRC) to study this issue.
鈥淚n mathematics classrooms,鈥 Takeuchi explains, 鈥済roup work has been used to promote a wide range of mathematics learning, which involves explaining and justifying how to solve problems, along with writing and talking mathematically.鈥
The adjunct assistant professor and postdoctoral scholar in the Werklund School of Education says while this focusing on group work has been successful, little is known about students鈥 perspectives on the challenges and benefits of group work for mathematics learning in linguistically and racially diverse schools.
鈥淚n the classroom, relational dynamics deriving from students鈥 social identities鈥攖hat is鈥攖heir linguistic, racial, and immigration backgrounds--can affect, and sometimes hinder students鈥 collaborative learning.鈥
Takeuchi will focus her research at the middle school level, where the linguistic demands and complexity of academic language significantly increase. She鈥檚 particularly interested in examining the experiences of what she calls 鈥1.5 generation students鈥, those who immigrated to Canada after the age of nine and whose first language differs from the instructional language at school. She says this group鈥檚 unique academic and linguistic challenges have started to be addressed but believes there is still more to explore.
Takeuchi hopes that this work will aid in preventing a widening mathematics achievement gap in high school years by way of proposing a pedagogical intervention to develop both language and mathematics.
It鈥檚 her hope that her findings will help to develop a better sense of group work that can assist all students in learning in the diverse classrooms of today.
鈥淧roviding equal and high quality opportunities to learn mathematics for all students is key for a more equal Canadian society,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 hope to use the results gained from this study to propose mathematics pedagogy, which will enrich mathematics and language learning opportunities.鈥