Surviving College: Promoting Numerical Literacy

in English Language Learners & Minority Students

Dr. Roseli Ejzenberg, Professor

Department of Reading, ESL, and Linguisticsroseli.ejzenberg@montgomerycollege.edu

Saul Goldberg, Instructional AssistantAcademic Computing Teamsaul.goldberg@montgomerycollege.edu

Montgomery College, Rockville Campus.

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Surviving College: Promoting Numerical Literacy

Dr. Roseli Ejzenberg and Saul GoldbergMontgomery College, Rockville Campus

Outline

I. SEEKING EQUITY IN ACADEMIC SUCCESS

A. The Role of Numeracy II. STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP ACADEMIC NUMERACY A. Student Survival Strategies B. Instructional Sequencing and Activities III. SOURCES, RESOURCES, AND LESSON PLANS A. Teacher-Friendly Websites  B. Textbooks and Related Literature

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I. Equity in College Success

The Role of Numeracy1. Definition: A continuum of math literacy leading to

proficient academic skills.

Not just about numbers; a whole way of thinking and approaching the world. (Kerka, 1995)

Culture, Country, & Language-Specific (Ciancone, 1996) English Proficiency & Numeracy are deeply connected.

2. Warning: Innumeracy is Endemic !! (Paulos,1989) Innumeracy is a Gate-Keeper to College Success!!

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II. Strategies to Develop Academic Numeracy

A. Student Survival Strategies1. General Lecture Note-Taking Skills:

a. Organizing Space (Cornell; Ejzenberg) Self Material Graphic

b. Understanding Logical Structure

→ c. Predicting and Evaluating Information Visual Aural

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Student Survival Strategies (cont.)

2. Numeracy-Specific Strategies

Note-taking first → Understanding second

→ Producing → Analyzing/Manipulating

a. Shorthand: US debt to China? http://defeatthedebt.com/about-us

b. Scientific notation

c. Abbreviations

3. Oral Strategies

a. Clarification Questions & Problem-Solving5

Instructional Sequencing

1. From small, isolated to large numbers2. From limited to comprehensive unit

types

3. From isolated and “packaged”to contextualized authentic material.

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Sequencing: Level OneFrom small , isolated to large numbers

From minimal pairs → Large #sDates: Teens and Tens, IMF figures*Fractions, US # Format * IMF loans and aid given to developing countries

http://www.imf.org/external/np/tre/activity/2009/122409.htm#tab1

IMF Educational Activities and Videos

http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/center/econed/index.htm#interactives http://www.imf.org/external/media/index.asp

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Sequencing: Level Two From limited to complex numerical info

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Immigration: Collaborative Learning

1. Data Gathering→ Search U.S. Census Bureau website: Foreign-Born data by Origin, Gender, Age, Income, and Citizenship status. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/foreign/cps2008.html

→ Compare Excel tables data with graphs/charts on Education, Income & Unemployment of Foreign-Born vs. Minority Citizens. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/foreign/slides.html

2. Exchanging and Analyzing Data→ Information Gap Activity

Sequencing: Level Three From “Packaged” to Authentic Info.

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From “Trip to a Space Center“ (Mosaic 1 textbook)

To NASA CONNECT video series + teacher’s guideSpace station stats (flight altitude, speed, equipment size, orbit times, distances.) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4205698473092315306&q=nasa+statistics

NASA Homepage http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/index.html

Educational Materials http://search.nasa.gov/search/edFilterSearch.jsp?empty=true

Sources and Resources:Teacher-Friendly Websites

British Broadcasting Channel (BBC) instructional resources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/weblinks/teachers.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldclass/teachers

 

Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation: audio podcasts and video at http://invention.smithsonian.org/video

 

Public Broadcasting Service www.PBS.org PBS teachers: lesson plans + programs. Frontline: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach

 WAMU-FM Radio in Washington: www.WAMU.org

 National Public Radio(NPR): www.NPR.org NPR Podcast Directory: http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=94411890

 http://www.brainpop.com/educators Free e-subscription and lesson plans

http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html TV news segments with questions on vocabulary and content, as well as expansion activities

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Bibliography

Ciancone, T. Numeracy in the Adult ESL Classroom. ERIC Digest ED 392316. National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education Washington D.C., 1996.

Coggins, D., Kravin, D., Coates, G.D., and Carroll, M.D. English Language Learners in the Mathematics Classroom. CA: Corwin Press, 2007.

Corasaniti, T. and Cuevas, G. J. Integrating Mathematics and Language Learning. In Richard-Amato, P.A. and Snow, A.M. (eds.) The Multicultural Classroom: Readings for Content-Area Teachers. New York: Longman, 1992.

Ejzenberg, R. and Berman, M. Surviving College. Strand C: Fostering Key Transitions to College and Careers. 3rd Annual Partners for Rigor through Relevancy Conference, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD, 2007.

Flowerdew, J., ed. Academic Listening. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.

Kerka, S. Not Just a Number: Critical Numeracy For Adults. Eric Digest no. 163. Center for Education and Training for Employment, ACVE, 1995. http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-2/numeracy.html

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Bibliography (continued)

Kersaint, G., Thompson, D. R. and Petkova, M. Teaching Mathematics to English Language Learners. New York: Routledge, 2009.

Kroesbergen, E. Mathematics Education for Low Achieving Students: Effects of Different Instructional Principles on Multiplication Learning. Institute for the study of Education and human development. University of Utrecht. Netherlands, 2002. Thesis. ISBN 90-75129-55-6

Mercer, C.D. Students with Learning Disabilities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Montgomery College, custom-published textbook. Focus on Academic Reading, Longman, 2009.

Nunan, D. and Miller, L., eds. New Ways in Teaching Listening. Alexandria: TESOL Publications, 1995.

Paulos, J. A. Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1989 and 2001.

 

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ESL Textbooks w/ CDs, Cassettes, DVDs, or Videos

 Hanreddy, J. and Whalley, E. Mosaic 1: Listening/Speaking. Fourth edition. New York: McGraw Hill, 2002.

Hartmann, P. and Blass, L. Quest. Listening and Speaking in the Academic World 1. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000.

Kendall, M.E. More of the Real Thing. Highland Publishing, 2007. Kisslinger, E. Contemporary Topics 2: Listening and Note-Taking Skills. New

York: Longman, 2002. Lebauer, R. S. Learn To Listen: Listen To Learn. Second edition, 1999. Solomon, E.V. and Shelley, J. Key Concepts 2: Listening, Note Taking, and

Speaking across the Disciplines. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.

→ For more lesson plans or information contact us at roseli.ejzenberg@montgomerycollege.edu

saul.goldberg@montgomerycollege.edu

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