Theme of the Month

Transforming Practices and Policies So Multilingual Learners Thrive in Mathematics: A Position of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Positioning Multilingual Learners for Success in Mathematics A joint position statement from NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics in Education and TODOS: Mathematics for ALL (Fall, 2021)

The imperative that all students, including English learners (ELs), achieve high academic standards and have opportunities to participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning has become even more urgent and complex given shifts in science and mathematics standards.

A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction is an integrated approach to mathematics that centers Black, Latinx, and Multilingual students in grades 6-8, addresses barriers to math equity, and aligns instruction to grade-level priority standards. The Pathway offers guidance and resources for educators to use now as they plan their curriculum, while also offering opportunities for ongoing self-reflection as they seek to develop an anti-racist math practice. The toolkit “strides” serve as multiple on-ramps for educators as they navigate the individual and collective journey from equity to anti-racism.

TRU is a framework for characterizing powerful learning environments in crisp and actionable ways. It provides a straightforward and accessible language for discussing what happens (and should happen) in classrooms, in professional preparation and Professional Development (PD). TRU is consistent with what we know to be good practice, and it focuses classroom and administrative attention on what counts in learning. What that means, in particular, is that high-quality instruction and PD will be consistent with TRU and that if we adopt this framework and language, parallels in instruction across disciplines will be clear.

The Mathematics Assessment Project is part of the Math Design Collaborative initiated by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The project set out to design and develop well-engineered tools for formative and summative assessment that expose students’ mathematical knowledge and reasoning, helping teachers guide them towards improvement and monitor progress. The tools are relevant to any curriculum that seeks to deepen students' understanding of mathematical concepts and develop their ability to apply that knowledge to non-routine problems.

Together Juntos Math is a 4-year project designed to develop and research innovative mathematical partnerships that engage teachers, parents, and multilingual 3rd through 5th-grade children in mathematical experiences. We aim to advance equity in mathematics education by integrating positioning theory and funds of knowledge. This research will take place at three sites across the U.S., in Arizona, Maryland, and Missouri, reflecting diverse geographic, cultural, and linguistic contexts. The researchers will study a model that merges professional learning and parental engagement with a focus on multilingual learners.

The report offers a fresh analysis of the issues surrounding foundational math - including a focus on the highest-leverage places for change - and spotlights models and immediate actions that offer clear strategies for equipping elementary teachers to enable authentic and joyful math learning for all students.