Effects of Teacher Knowledge and Quality of Instruction on Linguistically Diverse Learners

The main goal of this project is to empirically estimate whether and which classroom factors contribute to mathematics gains of English Language Learners in Texas schools. The emphasis is on mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT), knowledge of students as English Language Learners, and the mathematical quality of instruction (MQI) in middle grade classrooms. First round of correlational analysis shows that there are strong associations between teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching and some elements of MQI such as exposure to rich mathematics and attention to students as learners during instruction. Preliminary regression analysis shows that one of the significant factors that predict student learning is teachers’ practices related to knowing their students not just as mathematics learners but affording their linguistic diversity.

Sorto, M. A., Bower, R. S. G., & Salazar, T. L. (2016). Effects of Teacher Knowledge and Quality of Instruction on Linguistically Diverse Learners. In M. B. Wood, E. Turner, M. Civil, & J. Eli (Eds.), Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the North American Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education.Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona.