In Menifee, California, and really all over the world, teachers are well aware that young English language learners often see language skills as a big barrier toward reading and mathematical skills. As a result, they have turned to a newly developed program called TEEM to help teach youngsters math at an earlier age.
TEEM assists at-risk students with math.
TEEM, Teaching English-Learners Early Mathematics, focuses on the early grades, such as preschool through 5th grade. The program zeroes in on high-poverty and English-learner populations. At Boulder Ridge Elementary 75 percent of its students come from low-income families and 18 percent are English-learner students. Teachers’ instructional styles are changing to accommodate such high numbers. For example, classes are engaging more regularly in stimulating discussions of fundamental math concepts, and teachers are asking students to come up with more diverse ways to solve problems. Hopefully, this will help students be better prepared to tackle complex word problems and pre-algebra later on.
For young English-language learners, language skills can be a barrier not just to reading but math as well. Educators and researchers working in two school districts here hope that helping students “talk through” number problems will assist them in meeting the state’s new math standards.
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Key takeaways
- English-learners have difficulty with math as well as learning English.
- Some programs are adding foreign languages to their STEM curriculum.
- TEEM focuses on early learning so that students do not struggle with math later in school.
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