04 Andy Brown Translanguaging A multilingual Learning

Summary

The transcript captures a classroom discussion focused on problem-solving strategies, particularly for students with diverse language backgrounds like Spanish and Polish speakers. The teacher emphasizes the importance of translanguaging to enhance understanding and motivation. The lesson involves complex word problems, including mixed numbers with unlike denominators, which are challenging even for proficient English speakers. The goal is to create problems that require students to find missing values, fostering critical thinking and mathematical skills.

Takeaways

• 📝 The speaker is discussing the importance of adapting word problems for non-English speakers, including Spanish and Polish speakers, to ensure comprehension.
• 🌟 Translanguaging is highlighted as a beneficial method to help students understand concepts and stay motivated, regardless of their language proficiency.
• 🔍 The speaker mentions the challenge of word problems being difficult for all students, including native English speakers.
• 📚 There is a focus on the need to work backwards to solve problems, which is likened to an algebraic approach.
• 📉 The script describes a specific math problem involving mixed numbers with unlike denominators, which requires finding a common denominator and simplifying before subtraction.
• 👶 The difficulty of the problems is noted, even for students who are proficient in English.
• 👩‍🏫 The speaker encourages the use of names in word problems to make them more relatable and engaging for students.
• 👥 Collaboration is encouraged, with students working in pairs to create and solve their own word problems.
• 🔢 The importance of giving the total and finding the missing piece in word problems is emphasized for students when creating their own.
• 👍 The speaker acknowledges the help received from others, such as Matthew, in understanding and translating content for students with different language backgrounds.
• 🎶 There is a mention of music playing in the background, suggesting a classroom environment that might be using music as part of the learning process.

Q & A

What is the main challenge discussed in the transcript regarding word problems?

The main challenge is that the word problems written in English are difficult for non-English speakers, including Spanish and Polish speakers, and even for English-speaking children, to understand.

What strategy is mentioned to help students understand word problems better?

The strategy of translanguaging is mentioned to help students, especially those who are not proficient in English, to understand the concepts behind the word problems.

What does the teacher suggest when adapting word problems for students with different language backgrounds?

The teacher suggests adapting the word problems to include the names of the students and possibly changing the context to make it more relatable and understandable for them.

Why is it important to save translations when working with multilingual students?

Saving translations is important to avoid having to redo the work repeatedly and to ensure consistency in the problems presented to the students.

How does the teacher involve parents in the learning process, as seen with Tiffany's mom?

The teacher acknowledges that parents, like Tiffany's mom who speaks Polish, can be involved in the learning process, and other students, like Matthew, can help with translations.

What mathematical concept is being taught in the context of the 'working backwards' strategy?

The 'working backwards' strategy involves solving algebraic problems that require adding and subtracting mixed numbers with unlike denominators, finding a common denominator, and simplifying the result.

What is the basic example given to illustrate the 'working backwards' strategy?

The basic example given is 5 plus 3 plus x equals 10, where the students need to determine the value of x by working backwards from the total.

Why is the 'working backwards' strategy considered more difficult with mixed numbers?

It is more difficult because it involves dealing with fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators, which requires finding a common denominator and simplifying the expression.

What advice does the teacher give to students when creating their own word problems?

The teacher advises students to create problems where the total is given, and they have to find the missing piece, ensuring that the problem is solvable and logical.

How does the teacher ensure that the word problems are challenging yet solvable for the students?

The teacher ensures this by designing problems that require students to use their knowledge of algebra and arithmetic to find the missing values in a logical sequence.

What does the teacher emphasize about the importance of understanding the total in word problems?

The teacher emphasizes that understanding the total is crucial because it helps students to identify what they need to find out and how to structure their problem-solving approach.