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-Use Manipulatives

-multi-sensory techniques

-break down into multiple steps

-clear instructions

-interactive tools

-real world

-adapt assessment for students need

-individualize instruction

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Strategies for Teaching Math to Students with Learning Disabilities - OrbRom Center

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Teaching math to students with learning disabilities can be challenging yet rewarding. By employing effective strategies, educators can

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provide clear step-by-step instruction

allow students to verbalize their reasoning

visual representation (diagrams, graphics, etc.)

cross-age peer tutoring

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Today's posts wraps up a three-part series on English-language learners and math instruction.

Total Physical Response for Math
Jody Nolf is an associate language and literacy specialist at Vista Higher Learning. For more than 20 years, she taught English and reading to middle and high school students. Six years ago, she transitioned into the world of ESOL as a full-time coordinator and advocate for multilingual learners, creating professional development and working with educators around the United States:
"Math is a universal language." This is a common belief, and there is some truth to it. Educators need to understand that not all cultures use the same numerical symbols and function signs, and some ELs, like their English-speaking classmates, lack the basic number facts to succeed in their math classes, especially at the secondary level. However, there are some strategies and scaffolds teachers can implement to ensure success with their EL students.

An important step for math teachers in ensuring that their EL students are grasping content as well as language is to break down the mathematical steps in comprehensible language. Some EL students enter the classroom with a wealth of math proficiency in their home language, depending upon education background. These students only require language assistance, perhaps the use of a heritage dictionary or academic glossary, to be successful in class.

However, other students have not learned the basics of computation; therefore, language will be just one part of their journey to math proficiency. This is one reason why teachers should not be misled into believing that math is a universal language. While it is true that 5x5=25 in all languages, the symbols differ from culture to culture. For example, Chinese students must first understand that the English letter "x" also signifies "times" and that the English word "times" signifies multiplication as well as chronology. Many ELs need to be taught that the term "colon" is not only a grammatical symbol and a body part, but it also is a mathematical symbol.

Even students with a strong foundation in math can find the language daunting at first. I had a student from Israel a few years who was quite proficient in math. However, she struggled to get accustomed to the United States customary units system, using the metric system her entire life. Her heritage dictionary was of little help when she looked up the term "yard." Her Hebrew dictionary only defined "yard" in terms of a "garden," not as a unit of measurement. Eventually, these expressions and symbols become relatively easy to master to those with strong math skills. However, students lacking the basic foundations must first learn concepts such as number facts, multiplication tables, long division steps, etc.

Therefore, one way to break down the mathematical steps is through pictures and graphics. Word problems can be daunting for any student of math. Teachers can scaffold for ELs by using pictures to accompany the language. Visual cues can be invaluable tools for EL learners, especially newcomers. For example, if students are presented with a word problem asking them to find the area of a soccer field, the teacher can scaffold by inserting a picture of a soccer field, complete with shading of the inside and arrows directing the student to focus on the entire inside of the field. Once the students understand the task, the teacher can continue with the steps of calculating the area.
Here is how the answer should have looked:
Another recommendation is to show a model response to a math problem. For example, if a math problem requires students to express their answers as a ratio, teachers should consider writing an answer expressed as a ratio as an example, a gentle reminder to students not to write the answer as a fraction or a decimal.

I encouraged a math teacher in my school to use this strategy, and she remarked that the students were more successful as a result. It should be noted, however, that ELs needed to understand the correct connotation of the term "colon" before continuing with the steps.

1:4 (used as an example on the assignment for the students to model)

Teacher Explanation: "1, colon, 4" (Teachers can then have students repeat in choral form to practice oral fluency.)

A final strategy for teaching math to ELs is to employ TPR whenever possible: the Total Physical Response technique. Some educators might feel that this method is more appropriate for younger children. However, all children, especially ELs, can benefit from this strategy.

To teach the concept of slope intercept, it is far more effective to demonstrate gradual ascension (climbing stairs) rather than to merely define it in words. To teach addition, use students themselves as "numbers." Five students in a group equals 5 (or 5x1). Two groups of five students equals 10 (or 5x2). The TPR method also encourages student engagement, thus resulting in greater understanding and retention of information.
Laleh Ghotbi is a 4th grade educator in a Title I school in the Salt Lake City school district. She came to the United States in August 2000 and earned two master's degrees in English, her second language:

'Your Attitude Matters'

One reason I love mathematics is because math operations are the same across the globe, making it easier for English-learners to learn math compared with other subjects. I am an elementary educator from a diverse background and work in a Title I school. Two years ago, I was recognized by Utah Leading through Effective, Actionable, and Dynamic Education (ULEAD), as one of the four most effective 4th grade math teachers in my state. Through my experience, I have learned a few tips and tricks for teaching math to students whose first language is not English.

1- Your attitude matters. I love math, and my students can tell. Over the years, my students have told me, "Math is not hard anymore" or "Math is my favorite subject now." I believe that teachers' positive attitude toward math is crucial in engaging students and helping them to fall in love with math.

2- Create a safe learning environment. The first step in teaching any subject effectively is having a classroom culture where kids feel comfortable enough to make mistakes and learn from them. When students feel safe, they take risks and become more creative. This is when we see students coming to the board, solving problems in new ways, and teaching the answers proudly to their peers.

3- Use data effectively. I always start the year by preassessing my students' background knowledge on different math concepts. Every year, we inevitably have students who move to a higher grade level of math concepts without mastering the math skills from the previous grade. This learning gap has been especially true for the pandemic era when academic gaps have widened.

4- Access prior knowledge. When I teach math, I always start with examples from previous grades. This instructional strategy has two benefits: Kids remember that they have learned the concept before, so it isn't an unfamiliar topic. And because we start with easier examples, students feel more confident in their problem-solving skills. For example, to teach the addition of four-digit numbers, I start with adding single-digit numbers and I say, "Let's start at 1st grade." I even joke with them by saying, "Little 1st graders, here is your first problem." They laugh and start adding.

When I make sure everyone knows basic strategies such as counting up and modeling like number bonds, I move to the next grade-level skills and keep moving higher. I don't stop longer than a few minutes on each lower-grade concept unless I see several kids showing signs of struggle. Math skills are built over years, and if our students don't have the prerequisite skills, we cannot successfully teach them the new ones.

5- Use a variety of teaching strategies. When I teach, I use several visual models and manipulatives, so students can master the skills by moving from concrete to abstract learning. For instance, while teaching +/- of numbers that need bundling and unbundling, I use base 10 blocks and the language of a story that is easier for English-learners to understand. To illustrate, if we are solving 3425 - 1218 = I say, "Do we have enough ones to take away 8 from?" They say no, so I say, "Ok, this number is poor, it goes and knocks on the closest neighbor's door to borrow some more ones."

My work on the board follows what I do with base 10 bocks. After whole-class instruction, my students get to practice with a partner that I intentionally chose for them based on different assessments. My students are my helpers; they teach one another, and both parties learn better in the process.

Using life examples and playing math games are other effective strategies to solidify what students have learned. Sometimes, I play one of my childhood games with my students. It was how my dad taught multiplication facts to me. Students skip count by any single digit that we are practicing. When they get to the number that is a multiple of that digit, they don't say the number, they say "beep." For example, learning the multiples of four would sound like 1, 2, 3, beep, 5, 6, 7, beep. My students love playing this game, even those who are struggling at multiplication facts.

I hope every teacher can fall in love with teaching math. Teaching math to students learning English does not have to be intimidating. Create a safe learning environment where making mistakes is allowed, recognize students' current math abilities, unlock prior knowledge, and use a variety of teaching strategies such as visual models, manipulatives, peer support, and math games to enable English-learners to become successful mathematicians. Math is fun, play with it!
Lisbeth Banales is an elementary bilingual specialist and multilingual students' advocate:

'Content and Language Objectives'

There are different strategies to make math classes comprehensible for our English- language learners. The ones I used with my students and recommend to my teachers are using visuals with labels, sentence stems, sketching, manipulatives, pair-share.

Before you even start your lesson, the students need to see, understand, and own the content and language objectives. You can help by showing it using kid-friendly language and visuals that represent unfamiliar vocabulary and having students recite them.

Use visuals with labels that represent academic vocabulary. You can preview this vocabulary in their primary language before any lesson and then demonstrate the same visuals in the language of instruction to make a connection.

Sentence stems are perfect to facilitate the process of using the academic vocabulary. This particular strategy will depend on the students' linguistic level. Some students will be able to produce simple sentences while other students will be able to use more complex sentence structures or frames.

Sketching has been one of my favorite strategies. It allows students to slow down to pay attention, especially during word problems, and show what they think it means while teachers can check for understanding and clear misconceptions.

Manipulatives should be always the first step students take when learning a new concept. As part of the CRA (concrete, representation, and abstract) model, using manipulatives helps students connect and understand by doing and practicing the concept. One thing to be aware of is that many newcomers have never used them before. Teachers need to name manipulatives and model how to use them for students to comprehend better.

Pair-share is also a very important strategy to use with our multilingual learners. It helps students lower their affective filter while also allowing them to use their linguistic repertoire to communicate their understanding. Teachers need to provide a word bank with the academic vocabulary needed as well as sentence stems to help students practice conversation using a more academic tone. I always let students practice pair-share before I even start asking them to share aloud to the whole class; it provides support for them to know what to say.

What instructional strategies do you recommend using with English-language learners in math classes?
Thanks to Jody, Laleh, and Lisbeth for contributing their thoughts!

The new question of the week is:

In Part One, Isabel Becerra, Beth Skelton, Tan Huynh, and Jim Ewing contributed their suggestions.

In Part Two, Cindy Garcia, I vannia Soto, Theodore Sagun, Michael Beiersdorf, and Kimiko Shibata offered their ideas.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org. When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it's selected or if you'd prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.
Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email (The RSS feed for this blog, and for all Ed Week articles, has been changed by the new redesign-new ones are not yet available). And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 11 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below.
You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo.

Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. It's titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching.

I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributors to this column.

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11 Ways to Make Math Instruction More Accessible to English-Learners (Opinion)

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Breaking down math steps into clear language is one way teachers can help English-learners grasp both the content and academic language.

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Have students work in small groups where they can discuss (helps with retention)

Teach academic language along with content

facilitate discussions rather than providing answers

Assess often to help determine break out groups and focuses that students are struggling with.

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Incorporate Visual Supports

Use Hands-On Items

Solve Real-World Math Problems

Reward Effort

Make It Fun

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Math is one of those subjects that carries a lot of baggage for people... they either love it or hate it. For teachers, the challenge of how to teach math in special ed meets how to make math meaningful for students who have significant disabilities. Relax. We have the top ten tips to teach math in special ed.

Why Is Math in Special Ed so HARD?!?

Yes, it's true. Teaching math concepts to students who struggle with spatial awareness, memory, and recall, or communication skills is harder. But that doesn't mean it's impossible.

Part of the challenges with teaching students who have disabilities is teaching to their strengths and overcoming any weaknesses. This can help them access their enrolled grade-level curriculum. But, with so many levels and disability types in the classroom, where do you start? Good news here is that there are several ideas on this list that will work for students with a variety of disabilities as well as general education students who are struggling to grasp an idea or math concept.

No matter the tip you decide to implement, remember that if a student isn't learning, it's up to us, as teachers, to adjust what we're doing. It is not up to the student to just 'figure it out'.

With that said, here are some top tips on how to teach math in special ed to students with complex access needs.

Top Ten Tips to Teaching Math in Special Ed

1. Incorporate Visual Supports

You knew this was coming, right?

Visuals are essential for special education.

Why? Because adding visuals to your math instruction supports students in a variety of ways.

First, it can explain concepts and ideas in a more concrete way. Math is extremely abstract. The addition of a visual can mean that a student who struggles with the abstract can make sense of math with something more understandable.

Second, visuals can help student process through complex tasks more independently. Sometimes our students are learning steps to a process insolation or with a targeted focus. Then, when it comes time to string skills together, it can be a challenge. With a task analysis strip or processing visual, a student can be more independent in getting through a set of skills. It can also support students who have memory and recall issues to know what's next. This type of 'what do I do next' visual can be extremely helpful with prompt dependency, recall issues, motivation, and even attention. Winner-winner.

Third, visuals can target behavior and improve motivation and engagement, like when you use a token board or first-then visual. These are teacher gold! If you don't use them yet as part of your instruction, make that correction today.

2. Use Hands-On Items

The next top tip to teaching math in special ed is hands-on items. Just like visuals, tactile supports can help contextualize abstract ideas and concepts. Likewise, they support students who learn in a variety of ways.

Also, consider how you can use hands-on manipulatives for students to demonstrate mastery. When students struggle with writing or speaking, it can be hard to assess them and make data-driven decisions about progress. By allowing a student to use hands-on demonstrative ways to show what they know, you allow them greater access to future skills and an ability to engage in lessons in a way that is meaningful to them.

If you don't love hands-on manipulatives and items in your math instruction per se, then try digital math manipulatives, which are available online. They make instruction 'hands-on' without all the stuff.

3. Solve Real-World Math Problems

Incorporating real-world math problems into regular instruction is one of the most effective teaching strategies for students with disabilities. This approach is not only a great way to engage students, but it also makes the math concepts relevant and interesting.

Also, by providing real-world math problems, students have the opportunity to practice the math skills and concepts that they can and will use in real life. That means, as a teacher, you're building the functional academics that will support them in the postsecondary.

4. Integrate Technology Tools

A math teacher once said learning how to solve math problems the long way and without a calculator was a critical skill. After all, he pined, you aren't going to be walking around with a calculator in your pocket when you grow up.

Oh, how little he knew.

And, how little WE know. We have no idea where technology will take our students. At the beginning of my teaching career, math goals centered around check writing were commonplace. Now, I can't think of the last time I wrote a check nor can I think of why I would need to target that skill for students.

In the classroom, this all has one resounding message; Incorporate technology tools.

First off, tech tools can provide a student with a significant disability with the additional support they need to be successful. That affords them more opportunities to engage with the material and tackle more challenging ideas on concepts. Include the use of normal math tools, like graphic calculators or interactive whiteboards, to help make abstract concepts more concrete. Also, use productivity tools and phone apps to support access, like with text to speech, Google, AI, and more. These are part of our daily lives now and can provide additional support for students with a disability. After all, isn't it just as important to know how to phrase and evaluate a math problem as it is to solve it? With tech propelling the next generation into the unknown, my guess is yes.

5. Include Group Work

Students with significant disabilities usually struggle with more than just academics. They have a hard time with the functional skills they need to make them successful after graduation. That includes things like communication skills, social skills, interpersonal skills, and problem-solving.

By incorporating group work in math instruction, you have a way to target these skills. Group work is an opportunity to collaborate, problem-solve, and communicate with peers. When it comes to how to teach math in special ed, small groups afford more opportunities for social interactions and learning. On top of that, consider using a cooperative learning model in your classroom to promote these interpersonal and communication skills.

6. Model Good Math Behavior (and Language)

Modeling how math is done is part of explicit instruction in special education. That includes modeling good math behavior as well as using math language in an effective way. Using this visual path and auditory path to lesson content is a great way to teach students with significant disabilities how to approach and engage with math problems.

Also, remember to use a think-aloud strategy to demonstrate the correct way to approach and solve a problem. With that comes the use of math vocabulary in context. All in all, this is a great way to provide students with special needs with the best type of model so they can replicate the behavior.

7. Reward Students for their Effort

There's nothing more discouraging than being told 'that's not right'.

Seriously.

Nothing.

But I've seen it over and over where teachers or paraeducators have inadvertently discouraged a student when they put in the effort but still fall short of the correct answer. That is not how to teach math in special ed!

Positive reinforcement can be an effective way to motivate students with significant disabilities, so don't be afraid to put out lots of encouragement. Recognizing and rewarding students for their efforts as much as their successes in math, it can encourage them to continue to engage with the material and try new things, even when they fail the first time. That perseverance is hard to teach out of context, so reward attempts and effort. Sometimes learning by making a mistake is a more memorable experience for students.

8. Practice Independently

Prompt dependence is a thing, really. It's part of learning in an environment full of people who really want to give you all the supports you need to be successful. Unfortunately, that prompt dependence can be a severe limitation over time.

As students learn and acquire new skills, be sure to have them practice in an independent setting. Providing opportunities for students to practice math independently allows them to take ownership of their learning and build their self-esteem. The use of manipulatives and other hands-on materials can help make the math concepts more concrete and accessible for students with significant disabilities practicing on their own. As you set up the learning space, be sure students have access to these tools too.

Personally, I believe this is part of why a station rotation model for classroom instruction in special ed is the best option. It is one of the best setups for success in how to teach math in special ed. The next reason is providing guided practice.

9. Provide Guided Practice

Guided practice is where students are working through the lesson or activity with support from a teacher or staff member as they need it. Because the teacher or aide is present and ready to support, a student has a way to work through math problems but can easily seek help.

This approach is an effective way to support students with significant disabilities as they work through math problems. By providing step-by-step instructions, verbal prompts, or visual aids, students can learn how to solve math problems and build their confidence. Moreover, the teacher or adult can make sure students are not internalizing processes that are incorrect or applying methods the wrong way.

10. Make it FUN!

The best all-time greatest top tip for teaching math is to make it fun! Making math instruction fun and engaging can help to increase student motivation and participation in the special ed classroom.

Incorporating games, songs, or other interactive activities can help to make math concepts more interesting and accessible for students with significant disabilities. Besides, when learning is fun, you are more into it, your students learn more, and your math instruction is something everyone looks forward to.

Final Thought on Top Tips for Teaching Math

First off, it's important to remember that all students are different and may have different needs. Be flexible and adjust your instruction to best meet the needs of your students. Also, these strategies are not mutually exclusive. Combine them and tailored them to your student's needs and skill levels.

As you read through this list, there were probably some strategies and tips you already do. Great! Put a check next to them. Then pick one or two more to target as personal goals during math time. Slowly find ways to incorporate them into your lessons, centers, and rotations.

Small changes can have big impacts, so when it comes to how to teach math in special ed, start with one small change and grow from there.
WAIT! Before you go, check out all the math resources available in the Noodle Nook store on TpT.
Article Citation: [cite]

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Top 10 Tips - How to Teach Math in Special Ed (Easy Ideas)

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Math instruction can be a challenge. These top 10 tips show you how to teach math in special ed more effectively, especially in special ed. (1) Visuals. To use

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"Providing tasks to promote student sense making." Activating students' prior knowledge and having them realize that their past experiences are crucial and relevant for their present tasks will encourage and give the students' the opportunity to gain prior knowledge, they had from before, and use that to now start to understand their teacher's academic knowledge!

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Dominguez & Adams (2013). Mas O Menos- Exploring Estimation in a Bilingual Classroom.

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Chapter six from our textbook gave us a multitude of strategies to support gifted learners in our classroom. One strategy that stuck out to me the most was increasing the complexity of the content. Teachers can increase the complexity of the content by connecting it to the real world or other subjects or increasing the rigor. This relates to a strategy that you should NOT do: giving free time to early finishers; this discourages students to go beyond and deepen their understanding while taking away meaning from the content since they are more likely to rush to get work completed.

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Identifying Math Giftedness: Acceleration vs. Enrichment

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Identifying Math Giftedness: Acceleration vs. Enrichment

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Not all mathematically gifted students have the same needs.

Talented Math Students – These students grasp new concepts faster than their peers and enjoy problem-solving but may not require a full acceleration program. They benefit most from enrichment, which includes advanced content, critical thinking activities, and deeper exploration of mathematical concepts.

Highly Gifted Math Students – These students show exceptional ability, often understanding abstract concepts well beyond their grade level. They may require both acceleration (moving ahead in grade-level math) and enrichment (more challenging content and reasoning activities) to stay engaged.

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Meeting the Needs of Talented Elementary Math Students | Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development

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M. Katherine Gavin, Ph.D. Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development As a math specialist in gifted education for over 20 years, I work with te…

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Teaching academic vocabulary helps students

"productive struggle" letting students work through the problems and not by copying step by step

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Use Flexible Grouping – Pretest students and form flexible groups based on their understanding of each unit to ensure appropriate challenge.

Encourage Mathematical Discussions – Gifted students thrive when they can discuss complex problems with peers and teachers rather than working in isolation.

Incorporate Real-World Problem Solving – Provide students with opportunities to engage in deep, complex mathematical reasoning similar to professional mathematicians.

Avoid Busywork – If students can complete enrichment worksheets easily, they are not being sufficiently challenged. Engage them in rich tasks that promote critical and creative thinking.

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Meeting the Needs of Talented Elementary Math Students | Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development

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M. Katherine Gavin, Ph.D. Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development As a math specialist in gifted education for over 20 years, I work with te…

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Providing and creating more opportunities for students to talk through problems -- ability to recognize and apply math terms

helps to support students from all backgrounds

Emphasize math concepts over memorizing facts and procedures

Some schools noticed a lack of "Productive struggle"

Ensure to teach academic language along with content

Collaborative based learning

Share strengths and experiences

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Providing more work is not the solution; instead, increasing the level of rigor through differentiation is key. The article highlights two primary strategies:

Open Questions: These are questions that allow for multiple approaches or answers, making them accessible to a range of learners. For example, providing an answer and asking students to come up with possible questions or allowing students to choose their own numbers in a problem.

Parallel Tasks: This involves offering students a choice between different tasks that address the same concept but vary in complexity. This allows students to engage with the material at a level appropriate to their understanding.

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Gifted and Talented Students: Differentiating in Math - The Routty Math Teacher

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Confused about differentiating for gifted and talented students? This post offers two powerful strategies to try. Free download included.

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This article shows a strategy used in Adum! the gifted students dont participate in the regular instruction, instead they do an online course on the computer to do accelerated mathematics. Not totally sure how I feel about this as they are staring at a computer for the whole day.

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~ Promote language production

~ Teaching homophones effectively

~ Incorporate elevated vocabulary

~ Hone in on academic vocabulary

~ Emphasize word problems

~ Frame sentences for students to initiate small group --> whole group discussion

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Math has often been called "the universal language." While it's true that numbers work the same way regardless of the language you speak, teachers cannot assume that their English language learners (ELLs) will automatically excel in math for this reason alone.

Language proficiency is also closely related to the development of strong mathematical skills. Kristina Roberston writes, " Solving word problems, following instructions, understanding and using mathematical vocabulary correctly - all of these skills require a language proficiency...We tend to think of mathematics as a subject that does not require a strong command of language. In reality, however, mathematical reasoning and problem-solving are closely linked to language and rely upon a firm understanding of basic math vocabulary (Dale & Cuevas, 1992; Jarret, 1999)."

This blog will discuss specific ELL math best practices and math instructional strategies that you can use to boost student learning.

4 Best Practices for ELL Math Instruction

According to data from the US Department of Education's Academic Performance and Outcomes for English Learners, overall ELL performance in math has been significantly below the performance of native speakers.

For ELL students to fully participate in the math classroom, teachers must employ strategies to promote both their academic and linguistic development. The following best practices can help you support your ELLs' mastery of math skills.

1. Scaffold your instruction

As you consider how to engage students in math lessons, it's important to provide your ELLs with support in navigating the linguistic challenges of math. Jeanine Harvey, director of multilingual learner academics at The New Teacher Project says, " We know from our work that multilingual learners do not have the same access to grade-level assignments as their peers...All students could engage with grade-level assignments with the right supports. "

Scaffolding instructional strategies for math may involve the following:

Providing visuals.

Allowing students to work in pairs or small groups.

Modeling and thinking aloud during instruction.

Using manipulatives.

Giving students word banks.

By providing intentional and strategic instructional scaffolding, your ELL students will be more engaged and experience more growth.

All students benefit from instruction that incorporates a variety of learning modalities. Research has shown that when auditory, visual, and kinesthetic methods are combined, students retain information better.

Though all students benefit from hands-on learning activities, they are particularly important for ELLs. According to The National Math Foundation, " By 2009, Mulalic (et al.) discovered that the kinesthetic learning style was the most preferred learning style among ESL students. Studies in 1987, 1990, 1993, 1997, and 2001 reported that adult L2 immigrants and ESL students in the US favor kinesthetic styles over all others (Gilakjani, 2012)."

While there are many ways to incorporate kinesthetic activities in your ELL math instruction, manipulatives are one of the most powerful tools you can use to support your ELLs. Although they are often thought of as math tools for elementary students, they can be used with students at any level.

Manipulatives provide a common language for students to communicate their thought processes. This is especially important for newcomer ELLs, whose expressive English language skills are starting to develop.

When you're teaching math to ELLs, it's important to consider how you can deepen their understanding of math concepts as well as encourage their language skills.

However, your ELL students face a significant cognitive load during instruction in content areas- they're simultaneously learning a new language and new skills. It's important to minimize their cognitive load while maintaining academic rigor.

A student's proficiency in a language is dependent on both production and comprehension. ELL students' receptive language skills generally develop more quickly than their expressive language skills.

Teachers need to intentionally help them increase their language production. You can do this through scaffolding and supportive language practices, like those below.

Allow students to use their native language alongside English.
Doing so can help you gain an understanding of what students know in their native language and will help in making connections with prior knowledge.

Provide students with sentence frames for a math discussion.
For example, "I know that this is a ______ because it has ______ line segments and _____ vertices."

Create opportunities for low-stakes discussion through activities like think-pair-share.
Jeff Zwiers, a senior researcher at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and the director of professional development for the Understanding Language initiative, stresses the importance of giving ELLs time to talk with each other and ask questions. Zwiers states, "Very few kids will raise their hand and say 'Can you explain that?' to the teacher, particularly multilingual learners, who need it the most, they won't do that. But with one other person, it's a safer setting."

4. Focus on word problems

As word problems become increasingly difficult over time, it's important to note that reading skills play a vital role in math.

Brenda Krick-Morales writes, " Word problems in mathematics often pose a challenge because they require that students read and comprehend the text of the problem, identify the question that needs to be answered, and finally create and solve a numerical equation - ELLs who have had formal education in their home countries generally do not have mathematical difficulties; hence, their struggles begin when they encounter word problems in a second language that they have not yet mastered (Bernardo, 2005)."

When using word problems with ELL students, it's important to consider the following questions:

What background knowledge do my students need to have to understand this problem?

Are there any multiple-meaning words or phrases that my ELL students may not be familiar with in this problem?

Will my students need to distinguish between necessary and unnecessary information in this problem?

High-Impact Strategies to Teach ELL Math Vocabulary

Vocabulary instruction plays a key role in ELL math achievement. ELLs need explicit, intentional vocabulary instruction to successfully gain math skills.

Focus on academic vocabulary

Math is full of challenging words like quadrilateral and vertices -and your ELL students may or may not have a prior understanding of these concepts in their native language.

ELL students benefit from pre-teaching academic vocabulary terms in a lesson, as it provides them with a foundation of understanding. It is also important to give them multiple exposures to math words-research on vocabulary development shows that students retain vocabulary better when they learn words in context rather than in isolation.

The following ideas can help you develop and reinforce academic math vocabulary:

Use a math word wall with visuals for ELLs.

Create personal "word walls" customized for math vocabulary.

Use precise vocabulary when discussing terms AND give a kid-friendly definition.

Incorporate graphic organizers to help students develop and expand their understanding of word meanings.

Get creative with teaching definitions-give students numbers and have them line up from least to greatest or give students string and call out different shapes for them to create. You can have a little fun while engaging your students in different learning styles.

Teach "tricky words"

Math vocabulary includes both specific terminology and everyday words that have different meanings in the context of math. Take a look at the example below:

Did the student "find x"? Technically, yes!

Words like "face," "table," and "carry" (and even the word "and!") have different meanings when they're used in math. Provide your ELL students with many opportunities to practice using these tricky words in the context of math.

Don't forget about homophones

Whether you're a native speaker or new to English, homophones can present a challenge. Many math vocabulary words are homophones: some and sum, raise and rays, won and one, wait and weight...the list goes on!

Consider creating a chart for your ELLs to reference to help them differentiate between common homophones.

Math and language skills are inextricably linked. By keeping language in mind when you plan your ELL math instruction, you can help your students develop important math skills.

Check out our Marvelous Math Pinterest board for engaging math ideas and support for students in all grades!

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Elevate ELL Math Achievement With These Top Tips and Strategies | Continental Educational Publisher

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This blog will discuss specific ELL math best practices and math instructional strategies that you can use to boost student learning.

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Learn about student's math backgrounds: provide ELL students with different opportunities to share what they know and "teach" others. Students can work together to collaborate and show what they know.

Teach key academic vocabulary: Use visuals, real objects, manipulatives, and anchor charts to teach those key academic vocabulary. Once you know what key vocabulary you want to teach, use these different scaffolds to help!

Draw on students' home language: Use cognates (related words in two languages) to help teach different words and relate back to their home language. For example: fraction/fracción.

Identify key background knowledge in math problems: Identify what kinds of background knowledge students will need to understand a math problem. For example: A math problem about calculating a tip in restaurant.

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Math Instruction for English Language Learners

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Several years ago, I met a high school math teacher named Hillary Hansen who had just taught her first Basic Math course for English language learners (ELLs). She wanted so much to provide the students with the good foundation they needed, but she felt unable to engage them in her lessons. By the end of the year, she was exhausted and frustrated.That summer she had an opportunity to join a district Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) cohort to receive professional development and support the needs of ELLs in content classes. She learned about the importance of language acquisition, building background knowledge, increasing student language production, and explicitly teaching academic language. She began the following school year with a new set of tools and a deeper understanding of the instructional scaffolding ELLs need in order to learn the content while also learning English.While Hillary still felt challenged and was working hard, the second year was much more successful for her and her students. She felt she was providing them with the foundation they needed not only to understand the mathematical concepts, but also to successfully interact within a math classroom in order to learn more advanced concepts.As a result of more effective instruction, her students:Understood the content better and were working together to find creative ways to learnIncreased their participation in discussions and learned how to use instructional supports in the classFelt more comfortable with math and asking questions to get the help they neededYou can learn more about some strategies that Hillary and other teachers recommend for teaching ELLs math in the information below, along with reflection tips and ideas for getting to know your students’ math backgrounds.ELL Math Resource CollectionThis resource collection features several ideas for teaching math to ELLs.Reflection QuestionsHow much math instruction have your ELLs received in their prior schooling?How much do their levels of math background vary?What are some of their strengths related to math?What are some of their challenges?What are some practical ways your ELLs are using math in their daily lives?What kinds of strategies have supported their success or engagement in other areas?What are some ways that collaboration or co-teaching might support your ELLs?What are some leadership opportunities you might give ELLs in pair work or small group work?Learn About Students’ Math BackgroundsTeaching ELLs: Tips for Math TeachersPrint PDF >It’s important to remember that ELLs’ math backgrounds may vary significantly. Some students may have had consistent schooling where they developed strong math skills. Others may have limited or no formal schooling, but may have practical skills related to time, money, or other daily topics. If possible, find out whether students have attended school regularly and what kind of experience they have had with math instruction and with math in general. Look for ways to tie instruction to student interests (like sports) and responsibilities at home that involve math, such as helping with family finances, working in family businesses, and holding other jobs. For example, students from migrant farmworker families may be using math related to agriculture, such as weighing or selling produce. Also keep in mind that students may use other numeric and measurement systems students, such as metric system, Celsius, military time, etc.In addition, Pennsylvania educators Sally Lopez and Erin Minick also encourage educators to:Look for leadership opportunities for all students in math classProvide students with opportunities to “teach” others, work together, and demonstrate what they know in multiple waysGroup students intentionally and with sensitivity, avoiding the designation of specific students as “needing more help” in their grouping, partner assignments, or placement in the classroom(Ms. Lopez and Ms. Minick conducted a book study focused on Teaching Math to Multilingual Students, which you can learn more about from their website.)Keep in mind that veteran educators of ELLs also stress the importance of getting to know students as a key part of supporting student success. For example, in this NCELA webinar, Dr. Haiwen Chu, a national expert on mathematics education for English Learners at WestEd, recalls that visiting his high school students’ neighborhoods provided valuable insights on their experiences and familiar topics.See additional ideas for getting to you know your ELLs in 10 Strategies for Building Relationships with ELLs.The Language of MathAlthough it is easy to assume that many ELLs will excel in math class because math is a “universal language” and students may have had prior educational experience that included mathematical instruction, that assumption can lead educators astray. While computational skills may transfer, ELLs may still need support with language-focused tasks, such as solving word problems, learning (and using) math vocabulary, and writing explanations. All of these skills require a language proficiency that sometimes exceeds our expectations. We tend to think of mathematics as a subject that does not require a strong command of language. In reality, however, mathematical reasoning and problem solving are closely linked to language and rely upon a firm understanding of basic math vocabulary (Dale & Cuevas, 1992; Jarret, 1999), especially when considered along with the demands of college- and career-ready standards.Co-Teaching and CollaborationFor many educators, the challenge of bringing language and math instruction together is a relatively new one. ELL teachers who hadn’t taught content areas previously are now being asked to lead or support instruction in the math classroom, and many math teachers who don’t see themselves as language instructors are now responsible for providing effective math instruction to ELLs. When educators collaborate, however, they can better understand each other’s expertise and combine their expertise for the benefit of students.For example, when planning a lesson, a math teacher and an ELL teacher could collaborate to identify both the target content, such as key standards, concepts, or specific topics, as well as key vocabulary, academic language, and the language-focused tasks students will need to complete the lesson. These tasks might include writing out a proof, reading a math problem, explaining how to solve a problem, or writing out numbers as words. The ELL specialist could walk the math teacher through this process several times so that it becomes a more integrated part of the math teacher’s planning over time. After the lesson, the teachers could identify other areas of focus or clarification needed and share these insights with their colleagues.Another tool content teachers can use is language objectives, which help target the language demands of the lesson. You can learn more about them in the videos featuring Mr. Jesus Ortiz below.Teaching Academic VocabularyVocabulary instruction is essential for effective math instruction. Not only does it include teaching math-specific terms such as “percent” or “decimal,” but it also includes understanding the difference between the mathematical definition of a word and other definitions of that word, as well as understanding the concept a vocabulary word describes.The following example, used in a presentation by Dr. Judit Moschkovich of the University of California at Santa Cruz, underscores why vocabulary must be introduced within the context of the content (Moschkovich, 2008): In this problem, the student is instructed to “find x.” The student obviously knew the meaning of the word “find” because they “found” it on the page and circled it. The student even put a note on the page to help the teacher in locating the lost “x”. The student understood the meaning of “find” in one context, but not in the appropriate mathematical context.I recently helped a math teacher create a sheltered lesson, and I was surprised to find that there were some vocabulary words that I didn’t understand. My lack of familiarity with the words hindered my ability to do the math problem and gave me a deeper empathy for ELLs who struggle in the same way with vocabulary and comprehending math assignments.Following is a list of tips for explicitly teaching mathematical academic vocabulary.Teach key academic vocabularyAfter you identify your target content, identify the academic vocabulary words that students will need to understand that content. Some of these key phrases or new vocabulary words may also be helpful to pre-teach in small groups or mini lessons. Think about:Academic vocabulary (equilateral)Words and phrases needed to solve a problem (less than, given, arrange)Common words needed to solve word problems (train station, dolphin, favorite)Homophones (eight/ate, plane/plain, one/won, two/to/too, four/for, some/sum)Words that students are likely to encounter in other settings (formula, prove)Words that represent a numerical value necessary for solving the problem, such as measurement words (foot, feet, meter, pounds, kilometers)After you identify the vocabulary you wish to teach, use scaffolds for academic vocabulary, such as: Visuals: These can include visual representations of concepts, photos, and illustrations of key vocabulary words, posters, and number lines.Realia (real objects) and manipulatives: These might include hands-on objects related to a topic or small items, such as coins or small blocks for counting, sorting, weighing, etc.Graphic organizers: Graphic organizers are tools that allow students to organize information in a visual or hands-on way.Anchor charts: Anchor charts are posters that students and teachers co-create to highlight key concepts and vocabulary that students will need for reference.Offer students the chance to work with objects and images in order to master vocabulary. If there aren’t enough items for each student, use manipulatives on the overhead or posted throughout the classroom, and demonstrate the vocabulary in front of the students. For example, Hillary created a Math Word Wall that has three parts: key vocabulary, “in your own words” definitions, and a variety of ways to portray a function. For example, multiplication is portrayed by the following symbols: x, *, and ( ).In addition, it can be helpful to ask students which strategies support their learning. Students often can provide valuable information on what is working for them!For examples of how vocabulary can impact students’ understanding of math problems, see the related video with ESL teacher Anne Formato below.Teach words with multiple meaningsDemonstrate that vocabulary can have multiple meanings. Help students understand the different meanings of words, as well as how to use them correctly in a mathematical context. This is also a good opportunity for using visuals and realia. Examples include:YardPlotTableProofAreaEvenPlanePlaceTimesBillQuarterChangeDraw on students’ home languagesUse cognates, which are related words in two languages. English and Spanish have many cognates within academic terms, like fraction/fracción.Use translated words or phrases strategically. For example, New York University has published bilingual glossaries for several topics.Allow (and encourage!) students to use their languages in group work to solve problems, brainstorm, and review material. Students will understand material better if they explain it to another student, and the new student will benefit from hearing the explanation in their first language.Increasing Student Language ProductionThe language demands of math are complex. Working with an ELL specialist can be a good starting point for identifying some of the math demands of the lessons you are teaching, as well as for planning how to teach and scaffold those language demands.As I’ve worked with content area teachers in my district to develop Sheltered Instruction lessons and activities to enhance ELL learning, I’ve told them, “If a student doesn’t say it in your class, they’re never going to say it.” This is a bit dramatic, but it’s true to some extent. When students learn new vocabulary, the opportunity to use it must be presented in class, because students are unlikely to try it out on their own — especially academic words like “parallelogram” or “function”!Here are some tips to increase student-to-student interaction with academic language in the math classroom:Have students translate symbols into words, and write the sentence out. Hillary used this strategy to check students’ comprehension of problems before they solved them. For example, 3x + 4 = 16 would be written out, “Three times X plus four equals sixteen.” This helps students process the operations involved in the question and gives them an opportunity to think through how to solve it. It also gives students a chance to familiarize themselves with important vocabulary words. Writing out the answer to a problem is a very important skill to develop because many state math tests require a constructed response to questions.Create a “sentence frame” and post it on the board. Write the format of the sentence you would like students to use in discussion and then hold them accountable for using it. For example, “The answer is _______ degrees because it is a _________ triangle. (Learn more in our sentence frame and sentence stems strategy.)Have students share problem-solving strategies. This involves asking a simple question, such as, “Did anyone else get the answer in a different way?” Then allow enough wait time so students can think through how their problem-solving process was similar or different to the one offered.Allow students to discuss how they are thinking about math. This is a way of redirecting the lesson from teacher-to-student to student-to-student. For example a student might ask a question, “How do you know what kind of triangle it is?” Instead of the teacher answering and going to the board and pointing out the names and different triangles, the teacher can simply ask, “Does someone have an answer? Or “Would someone like to offer help to Mario?” Allow students to share how they think about the math concept and any tips they have for remembering the information.Incorporate writing activities, such as entrance/exit tickets or math journals. This is an excellent way for students to process what they’ve learned and what questions they still have. The journal or exit/entrance ticket prompt could start with simple prompts such as, “One thing I learned today...” “One thing I still don’t understand…” “One way I can get the help I need…” “The answer to this problem is…” “Something that helped me was...“Challenge students to create their own math problems. This can be a fun activity if students create a problem similar to the ones you have used in class and they exchange problems with a partner. By creating the problem and checking the answer they are reinforcing their own learning.Teach students how to read, interpret, and summarize data. Provide students with explicit, step-by-step instructions in how to read charts, graphs, tables, and infographics, as well as how to describe what they observe in visual representations of data.Model the kinds of writing students are expected to complete (e.g., written explanations). Students need to see and understand what they are expected to do and produce, such as explaining how they solved a math problem. This is a great opportunity for the “gradual release” strategy -- I do, we do, you do.Try AI tools. Consider using AI tools to rewrite math problems for students at early levels of proficiency or to generate math problems with familiar vocabulary that achieve your target objective. Bilingual Glossaries in Content AreasNew York University has published several bilingual glossaries in multiple languages that cover different content areas, including elementary math, middle school math, Algebra 1 and 2, Calculus, and related math terms.Reading and Understanding Written Math ProblemsWritten word problems present a unique challenge to ELL students and teachers alike. In Reading and Understanding Written Math Problems, Brenda Krick-Morales writes, “Word problems in mathematics often pose a challenge because they require that students read and comprehend the text of the problem, identify the question that needs to be answered, and finally create and solve a numerical equation — ELLs who have had formal education in their home countries generally do not have mathematical difficulties; hence, their struggles begin when they encounter word problems in a second language that they have not yet mastered” (Bernardo, 2005).Teacher Xiao-lin Yin-Croft has encountered this pattern in her classroom of bilingual Chinese students in San Francisco. She has developed a very creative way to use her students’ background knowledge of math as a stepping stone for other language learning. She does this by accelerating math instruction at the beginning of the school year and then building on what students have learned in math in reading and other content areas. In Building Bridges for the Future, Xiao-lin explains her strategy:First, we read math word problems; I demonstrate the logical thinking process while translating words into pictures and, finally, into number sentences. Soon, they start to explain their own thinking after reading complicated word problems that involve several steps. They correct each other and argue about which number sentences they should use to arrive at the correct final results. As they sharpen their math skills, I capitalize on their enthusiasm to teach them how to extract the most important information from texts, and move them toward the oral and reading fluency they need to understand and discuss more challenging texts.Even if you aren’t accelerating math instruction, however, there are a number of ways to help students master word problems. Krick-Morales offers suggestions in the previously mentioned article, such as explicit instruction of key vocabulary, daily practice of problem solving, repeated readings of the word problem together as a class, and hands-on activities such as movement, experiments, or drawing to help students comprehend the problem. As students become more familiar with math vocabulary, they will be able to solve problems more easily.Identify key background knowledge in math problemsIt’s important to identify what kinds of background knowledge students will need to understand a math problem. For example, Ms. Lopez and Ms. Minick used this activity with a conference session: Ms. Lopez chose four math problems from her son’s math textbook and asked session attendees to brainstorm the kinds of background knowledge students might have questions about, some of which were relevant to solving the problem and some of which weren’t. Here are some things that attendees came up with:A math problem about a coupon and sales tax at a dog groomer: What is a dog groomer? Why do people take their dogs to get groomed? What is sales tax? What is a coupon? What is “deluxe”? What is an estimate and a discount?A math problem about people receiving a voucher for a free water bottle at a football game: Is football different from soccer? What is a voucher? Does the water bottle come with water inside it?A math problem about a fishing pole on sale: What is “percent off”? What is a sale? What is “regularly priced”? What steps have to be followed to solve this problem?A math problem about calculating a tip in a restaurant: What does “leave a tip” mean? What is a tip? Does the fact that there are four sisters (Emilia and three sisters) impact the outcome of the problem? Why aren’t they using an app like Venmo?As seen from the example above, this can be a powerful area in which math teachers and ELL teachers can collaborate.The Role of Background KnowledgeWhen it comes to background knowledge that impacts students’ understanding of new concepts, students may have relevant experiences to what you are teaching that just need to be drawn out (as in the vignette below). In other cases, students may not have the needed background knowledge. My colleague Hillary found that sometimes her students would get “lost” in a problem simply because they didn’t understand the context. Following are some tips to help in tapping into and building background knowledge of students.Identify connections to your students’ experiences. When planning the lesson, consider whether they might have relevant experiences, and as you introduce the lesson, find out what they know, giving them an opportunity to make connections. They may come up with connections you never had imagined!Modify the linguistic complexity of language and rephrase math problems. Students will understand the problem better if it is stated in shorter sentences and in language they understand. This may be an area in which you wish to experiment with AI tools that can rewrite problems.Guide students to cross out the unnecessary vocabulary in word problems. Doing so allows students to focus on the math function required. For example, one problem Hillary’s students came across referred to a “school assembly.” Even though the meaning of that phrase wasn’t important in the solving of the math problem, students didn’t know it wasn’t important, and the lack of understanding contributed to their confusion.Build knowledge from real world examples. Try to reinforce concepts with examples that students can picture and talk students through the situation. For example, if you need to paint a room, you need to know how much area will be covered so that you know how much paint to buy. Look for familiar ideas or props that can be used to engage students such as recipes, news stories about the economy, or discussion of personal spending habits.Use manipulatives purposefully. This is important at all grade levels. Hillary has found math cubes to be very useful in having students represent the numbers in the problems and then manipulate the cubes to get the answer. She used the cubes and the terms “hot” and “cold” numbers when teaching with the concept of negative numbers. Students would use the red cubes as “hot” or positive numbers and the blue cubes as “cold” or negative numbers. As students laid out the number of hot cubes and cold cubes represented, they could easily see if the answer would be a positive or negative number by which color had the most cubes. A problem such as -2 + 1 = -1 would look like this: The student then removed pairs of cubes — one red, one blue — until they could no longer remove any blocks. The remaining blocks represent the answer. Classroom vignette: A moment of humilityA middle school math teacher was trying to teach points on a grid and vertical/horizontal axis to her ESL students, three boys from Vietnam. She tried many approaches, including visuals, games, simulations, and manipulatives, and was just about to give up after very little progress. Suddenly, a student said, “Oh, I know — same same you drive a boat!” (“The same as you drive a boat!”) It turns out the child had helped his uncle use the stars to navigate a raft when they were fleeing Vietnam and trying to reach refugee camps in Thailand. He explained the concept to the other boys in Vietnamese with gestures and drawings on the board, who knew exactly what he was talking about. The teacher reflected, “I felt so humble. These boys knew a lot more about math than I had given them credit for. I had failed to activate their prior knowledge, and in the process had almost given up.“Source: This vignette is presented in Chapter 4 of Special Education Considerations for English Learners: Delivering a Continuum of Services. Using TechnologyTechnology can also be a powerful tool in math instruction for ELLs. Here are some ways you can play with technology in a math lesson:Look for educational resources that accompany your school’s technology tools and programs. There may be online or software programs available for teachers. For teachers who have an electronic whiteboard in the classroom, there are many resources available on links that can be easily accessed and brought into the classroom.Find out what’s available online. Both PBS Learning Media and Vital NY (Video Teaching and Learning for NYS Educators) on Teachers’ Domain offers an online library of free public media resources. Teachers’ Domain resources include video and audio segments, Flash interactives, images, documents, lesson plans for teachers, and student-oriented activities. (Free registration required.)If students are using a calculator or other device, ensure that they learn how to use it. Based on background and prior educational experience, students might not be familiar with how to use a calculator, graphing calculator, or math apps on devices such as phones or tablets. Give students a chance to practice solving problems with their calculators once you have reviewed different functions. Texas Instruments offers numerous activities and product tutorials in their educational materials.Learn more about how to use AI tools in math. AI tools can be used to generate, differentiate, or rewrite a math problem; create a summary of a lesson plan; and many other tasks. Keep in mind that AI-generated content always need a careful review and edit. (See more in Using AI in Math from Edutopia.)Look for interactive games that offer students a chance to practice their mathematical skills. Nintendo DS has an educational game called Brain Age, which is not language specific. The game provides excellent mathematical training for numbers and tracks results, showing student improvement over time.Books About Math and MathematiciansIn addition, there are lots of books about math and mathematicians that you can incorporate into your classroom and classroom library. You can see a wide range of titles for different ages in our Math Resource Collection.Closing ThoughtsEven if it doesn’t come easily at first, there are ways to get ELLs excited about math. By keeping their language skills and needs in mind when planning mathematical instruction (and by helping your colleagues do the same), you will be taking important steps in helping students master mathematical concepts and skills. You never know — your students may be the next generation of economists, rocket scientists, and math teachers just waiting for the tools they need! Note: I’d like to thank my Minnesota colleagues, Hillary Hansen at Burnsville Senior High School and Kim Olson at Hidden Valley Elementary, as well as Xiao-lin Yin-Croft from San Francisco, for providing many of the helpful math teaching tips in this article. It is inspiring to know that there are talented, creative teachers who are always finding better ways to teach and are willing to share the knowledge.Related VideosHow vocabulary can get in the way of solving a word problemELL Specialist Anne Formato talks about the trouble a student had in understanding a written math problem based on a vocabulary word. Teacher Alejandra Rojas: Why cognates are your “best friend” in math classElementary teacher Alejandra Rojas, who teaches in a dual-immersion program, explains why cognates support vocabulary development in her Spanish-language math class. Teacher Alejandra Rojas: When bilingual students translate for their parentsAlejandra Rojas, a teacher at a dual-immersion school in Arlington, VA, shares some of her experiences as a child and teenager translating for her mother. How to Write Language Objectives: Tips for ELL EducatorsIn this video from Syracuse, NY, Jesus Ortiz, a bilingual teacher, learns how to write a language objective from Areli Schermerhorn, a peer evaluator with expertise in ELL and bilingual education. Teacher Observation Cycle: A Math Lesson on PictographsThis video highlights Mr. Ortiz’s math lesson on pictographs. While the main topic of the video is teacher evaluation, numerous best practices and strategies related to math instruction for ELLs are mentioned in the video. Recommended ResourcesNCELA Teaching Practice Brief: Math (A related podcast is available as well)Supporting English Learners in Math and Science: Effective Instructional Practices and Examples from NCELA’s Teaching Briefs PBS Learning Media: Math LessonsEngageNY: Common Core and MathCommon Core Math and ELLs: Blog PostsDiscovery Education: PuzzlemakerCatherine Snow: Word Generation SMART Notebook Lesson ActivitiesTranslating Word ProblemsColorín Colorado Webcast: English Language Learners in Middle and High School