ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE IN LEARNING MATHEMATICS

Author . Auliaul Fitrah Samsuddin

ID . 101104154
ICP of Mathematics 2010
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Background
Mathematics is one oI subject that is exist in almost every educational grade.
The university students learn basic mathematics eventhough they are not in
Mathematics department. This is because mathematics can be applied in every
aspect in our daily lives.
No one can deny that english is a language used internationally. It is used Ior
many purposes, such as education. Many schools, even universities, provide their
students a bilingual class where the second language is english. In indonesia there
are large numbers oI such schools/universities.
The eIIectiveness oI this bilingual stuII, however, is still questionable, in
mathematics class, especially. Mastering mathematics content is another story but
the eIIectiveness oI using english in mathematics classroom become topic oI
interest. That motivates author to write this essat entitled 'English as a Second
Language in Mathematics Learning
2. Problem Statements
Based on the explanation in background above, this essay will explain english
as a second language in mathematics classroom. The existance oI language in
mastering mathematics, the importance oI english proIiciency Ior biligual
students, the complexities that bilingual students Iaced and some solutions to
those complexities will be elaborated respectively in this essay
3. Essay Questions
Based on the prior problem statements the questions to answer in this essay
are:
1. How is the exsistance oI the language in mastering mathematics?
2. What is the english proIiciency to bilingual students whose second
language is english?
3. What are the complexities that bilingual students Iace?
4. What are the solutions Ior those complexities?
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Mathematics Learning
Mastering mathematics is sometimes considered to be a twostep process. Eirst,
students have to understand the mathematical concepts (Ans,Johan, Ansie & John,
2005; Richards, 1982; Thurston, 1995) and second, they have to be able to
communicate their understanding oI these concepts in written Iormat(Ans,Johan,
Ansie & John, 2005;Brown, 1994). Teachers` role is important Ior the Iirst step.
How teachers convey their idea to students will inIluence students mathematical
concepts. In the second step, students have to Iamiliarise themselves with the
scientiIic manner oI communicating acquired concepts in writing. This step is
especially important iI one considers that students need to be able to read and
write mathematics when using textbooks, and be able to complete various
assessment activities in writing during the course. (Ans,Johan, Ansie & John,
2005).
Both symbolism and logic are important concepts in mathematics. II students
want to accomplish the twostep process above they have to be Iamiliar with these
two. On top oI that, language used in classrom, either by teachers or students,
have to be appropriate and both students and teachers proIiciency oI the language
are required.
2. Bilingual Students
It has been estimated that approximately 60 oI the world`s population is
either bilingual or multilingual; that is, more than halI the people in the world
routinely use two or more languages in their daily communication (Baker, 2001;
Padilla, 1990; Parvanehnezhad & Clarkson,2008). However in this essay, the
bilingual term is reIerred only in mathematics class environment, especially in
mathematics learning and teaching process.
There are many deIinitions oI bilingualism. The Iirst ones agree with
BloomIiel (1933);Nuria,Mamokgheti (2009) that both speakers and listeners have
to be native in both language. Nuria,Mamokgheti (2009) and others deIine that
even when there is a minimum proIiciency in the second language but the speaker
is native, it can be classiIied as bilingual. However author assumes that it is not
necessary Ior both speakers and listeners to be native in both language. The only
thing that must be noted is that the second language is English. Author`s
assumption oI bilingualism deIinition is based on 'bilingual environment she had
been lived Ior three years. She is in 'International Class Program oI Mathematics
Department in a certain state university in Makassar, Indonesia, where the most
spoken language used in classroom is english. Most lectures are not native
English while all students` Iirst language is not english too.
However language proIiciency is remained important Ior bilingual students as
Lambert(1977); Parvanehnezhad & Clarkson (2008) claims that a high level oI
proIicieny in bilingual students contributed to their educational perIormance.
(Ans,Johan, Ansie & John, 2005); Mestre (1981) also reported a signiIicant
positive correlation between problem solving and language proIiciency oI
Hispanic college students. (Ans,Johan, Ansie & John, 2005); De Avila (1980)
stated the opposite that language proIiciency was not strongly predictive oI
mathematics achievement. Erom the sources that authors read, mostly have the
same arguments with Lambert, Mestre, etc.
To be more speciIic, English proIiciency is important Ior a bilingual students
whose second language is english. Cuevas (1984) states that it seems clear that
students who speak other languages at home must attain some proIiciency in
English iI they are to beneIit Irom mathematics instruction in that language.
Why it has to be english? The answer is given by; BaldauI & Kaplan (2005);
Gutierrez (2002); Hamezo (1997); Setati, Chitera, & Esssien (2009); Trewby &
Eitchat (2001) that Iluency in english is considered by many to have more beneIits
Ior the learners because it is spoken widely across many countries in the world. It
is also seen as a symbol oI power, status and prestige. Having the same opinion
Gerber, Engelbrecht, Harding & Rogan (2005) stated that there is no doubt that
the importance oI english as the common language countrywide (and
internationally) is recognised by all. It is a priority oI parents and teachers alike to
promote a command oI English amongst students, and it is generally accepted that
a command oI English is imperative Ior success in the proIessional sector.
3. Mathematical English Eor Bilingual Students and its Complexities
Learning mathematics with english as a second language, this may sounds
majestic but actually it is not. The burden that bilingual students have on their
shoulder is twice, or more, as the ordinary students may have.
Eor bilingual students, the learning oI mathematics and solving mathematical
problems, the situation is more complex. Not only with the traditional reliance on
reading written resource material, but also with the increased Iocus on discussion
and/or classroom interaction that has arisen as a result oI reIorm initiatives based
on a socio-constructivist perspective oI learning (Barwell, 2005; Parvanehnezhad
& Clarkson, 2008), the linguistic demands have increased in mathematical
classrooms in general, but, in particular, Ior bilingual learners.
Another problem Iaced by bilingual students that the tests written in english
are way more complicated than the ones written in their Iirst language. One oI the
most Irequent reasons given Ior the inappropriateness oI tests and testing
situations with students Irom a language minority is the use oI a language that the
students do not understand (Cuevas, 1984; DeAvila & Havassy, 1974; Moreno,
1973; Ramirez & Gonzales, 1972). Cuevas (1984); Gaarder (1975) argued that the
use oI English as the language oI the test is one reason Ior the low achievement
scores oI Hispanic students. Several studies have lent support to this hypothesis.
Cuevas (1984); Holland (1960), Meeker and Meeker (1973), and Mycue (1968)
Iound that when tests were translated, Hispanic students tended to do better on the
Spanish version than on the English version.
The last , maybe the most principle, complexity oI mathematical english to
discuss in this essay is the complexity oI the mathematical english itselI. The
Iollowings are cited Irom Carter and Quinnell (2012):
'...The mathematical vocabularv has three components. First, it includes
manv ordinarv English words such as above, more, profit, dollar, and
increase (Munro, 1979, Newman, 1983). Mathematics teachers must check
that students understand and can correctlv use these words. There is a second
group of words where ordinarv English words change meaning, including
variable, similar, square, power, rational, and equality (Pierce & Fontaine,
2009). Students need help to understand the contexts in which the meaning of
these words change. Finallv, there are words that have meaning onlv in
mathematics, for example, rectangle, coefficient, per cent, median, hectares,
binomial, denominator, and vinculum (Pierce & Fontaine, 2009). Further,
some of these mathematic mathematical words such as square, scale, range,
polygon have different meanings in different areas of mathematics (Spanos,
Rhodes, Dale & Crandall, 1988).Mathematical homonvms such as two/too/to,
sum/some, pi/pie, sign/sine, y/why (Durkin & Shire, 1991) can also create
confusion....One area in which mathematics and English agree is that the use
of a double negative implies the positive..... Mathematical English has
inherited a great manv words from Latin and Classical Greek. Manv of these
words have retained their original plurals forms (e.g., radius/radii,
datum/data, axis/axes, index/indices, polyhedron/ polyhedra). In some cases
the anglicised form, taking on the normal -s ending, has become an
acceptable alternative (e.g., formula/ formulae/formulas)....`
These complexities unwillingly lead bilingual students to do some language-
switching in their class. Parvanehnezhad & Clarkson (2008) conducted a research
on Iourteen Iranian bilingual students whose Iirst language is Easi (Persian). They
were given several mathematics problem written in English and it is Iound that the
Iourteen bilingual students switched some words, phrases or even sentences in
their answers into Easi. Parvanehnezhad & Clarkson Iound a various reasons
behind this. Iive students suggested they switched between their languages when
solving mathematical items because oI the diIIiculty they were having with this
process, another Iive seem to switch because oI other reasons, and the remaining
Iour students had a mixture oI reasons, one oI which was diIIiculty.
To overcome the complexities stated above and to minimize language-
switching in mathematics classroom Ior bilingual students, some experts as well
as researchers come with innovative curriculum Ior developing mathematical
english ability oI bilingual students without abandoning the mathematics skill.
One oI them is Notional/Functional Svllabus. It was designed in Europe Ior adult
learners oI a Ioreign language. It will not be explained Iully in this essay but
readers can see Chamot (1982), Cummin (1979), Cummin (1980) or other related
sources Ior Iurther explanation.
Teachers and parents can also participate to increase their students/children
english ability even Irom the most basic items. Teachers and parents, however, are
the most reachable and trustable learning sources Ior students/children.
III. CONCLUSION
1. Language used in classroom is a very important existence Ior mastering
mathematics
2. English proIiciency is important Ior a bilingual students whose second
language is english.
3. Learning mathematics where english is a second language is complex.
Bilingual students have to be able to understand english grammar since their
textbooks are mostly written in english. Another problem is the mathematics
test written in english. Many students misunderstood the problem and Iail to
pass the test. The last is the complexity oI english mathematical terms
4. Some researchers suggest innovative curriculum Ior developing mathematical
english ability oI bilingual students without abandoning the mathematics
skill. Besides, the guidance Irom teachers and parents are way more
important.
LIMITATION OE LITERATURE REVIEW
Author Iully aware that this essay is way Iar Irom perIection. This essay,
which is only a literarure review, reviews only small amount oI literatures,
thereIore it may explain less than the readers` expectation. On top oI that, it is
author`s debut in paper writing, hence it may lack in everything especially citation
technique. There is no intention to plagiarize, iI readers Iind improper credit in
this essay, it is pure because oI author`s amateurish.
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