English Language Learners Journal Analysis

In the journal article The Intersection of Mathematics and Language in the Post-Secondary Environment: Implications for English Language learners the authors describe the challenges English Language Learners (ELLs) face in mathematics courses at a post-secondary level. In addition, they determined four key features of the English language that can hinder ELLs. They determined that these 4 aspects of language can greatly influence how ELLs students perform on math examinations (Choi, Milburn, Reynolds, Marcoccia, Silva, & Panag, 2013, p.73). Furthermore, this article conducts an assessment to determine if performance on a math exam is related to English language proficiency. Sixty students volunteered to participate in the study, twenty-eight

Because of this I thought that the paper may have been biased, but overall I did not believe the study was biased. The authors simply presented the facts without allowing their opinions to interfere. At the end of the article they discuss ways to make the results of the study more consistent. This shows that the authors knew the limitations of their study and how they can improve the study next time. They give many good suggestions for improvement such as more test questions and using a larger sample of students. I believe that these ideas would help make the study more valid and less biased. I would also suggest completing the same study at different universities as a way to determine if the results are the same for all ELLs. In addition, I thought that the article was very easy to read and comprehend. The information was presented clearly and concisely. As a result, the only section that seemed confusing was the table of results of the assessment. However, once I understood what each section meant it was much easier to comprehend. I also liked that they gave examples of each type of question given on the math exam. This made it easier for me to understand the different types of items and why they might be confusing to ELLs. Furthermore, the authors use the evidence from their math assessment to reinforce the idea that knowledge of the English language significantly influences

It is hard for ELL students to perform well on assessments that they are unable to read and/or comprehend. In my future classroom, I will make strive to use mathematics questions that are unbiased for all of my students. I will make sure that my ELLs understand the assessment and what is expected of them prior to giving the exam. I will also offer extra support for my ELLs in all subjects not only math. This will help ensure that all students in my classroom have an equal opportunity to be