Math with English Learners

[kittychan29]

I am currently a student teacher in a fourth grade classroom. Altogether there are about 20 english learners in my classroom of various levels, but one is only a beginner. For most of the day, she attends other classrooms for English lessons and programs what work with Rosetta Stone. She does return to my classroom during math.

She is a fairly good student in math. When I model problems on the overhead, she is very willing to participate and tell me steps (such as for multiplication). I run into problems though with her when the class has to take tests that involve reading directions or doing word problems. She can only read and understand a minimal amount of English and these problems overwhelm her. I do not know any Spainish and there are certain terms that her neighbors cannot even help me translate to her.

I was hoping someone could provide some suggestions about working with beginning English Learners in Math (especially concerning word problems or reading directions).

1. Are there some ways I can better communicate the text to her?
2. Are there any key words for math in Spainish that may help?
3. Any other suggestions, hints, or stories?

[Senorita Daniels]

You could look up the words needed for a story problem ahead of time, then have a translation in front of you during the test.