Giving Compass' Take:

• California has persistent wide gaps in math scores, prompting educators to think about the importance of language skills for non-English speakers. A report released state-level strategies for California to consider in order to strengthen language skills and support these students. 

• What are other benefits that will come with promoting language programs for non-English speakers in the classroom?

• Read about the six strategies that will help non-English speakers with their language skills at an early age. 

Boosting the language development of students whose first language is not English is critical if California is to narrow the wide and persistent gaps in math test scores between its nearly 1.4 million English learners and their English-proficient peers.

The report, titled, “Unlocking Learning II: Math as a Lever for English Learner Equity,” also identifies practices that schools and districts can use to provide more support to English learners and recommends state-level strategies that the California Department of Education could consider to better support districts’ English learners.

Some examples of successful strategies include schools that reduced tracking in math classes to provide more access to advanced classes for English learners. One school recorded morning announcements in students’ languages to help them feel welcome and one of the districts trained 550 teachers on how to integrate language development skills into other subjects for English learners.

Researchers identified four key practices that support English learners and math education.

They include: upholding students’ languages, cultures and backgrounds as assets in math classrooms; integrating more English language development with math content; increasing professional development for teachers, specifically around language and math; and providing academic support in students’ primary languages to ensure equal access to math coursework.

According to the report, in 2017 only 12 percent of English learners met or exceeded math standards on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress compared to 43 percent of students whose native language is English and those assessed as fluent in English at the time of enrollment.

Read the full article about language skills by Ashley Hopkinson at Edsource