LEARNING MATHEMATICS IN TWO LANGUAGES: FILIPINO BILINGUALS IN A MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the pattern of mathematical communication in a Filipino mathematics classroom where the language of instruction is not the learners' native language. This study was guided by the following research questions: (1) When do students use code-switching and code-mixing in class?; and (2) How do students use code-switching and code-mixing in class? Using a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered through non-participant classroom observation and interviews. One class of 41 students was chosen as participants of the study and among them, 10 students were chosen through convenience sampling to participate in the interview. Classroom observations and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. The results revealed the following patterns on the use of code-switching and code-mixing by the students: 1) the students use code-switching and code-mixing for tasks that require high cognitive skills; 2) on the students' code-mixed and code-switched answers, English was used for mathematical terms which includes mathematical concepts, numbers, and mathematical procedures; 3) for code-mixed answers, the students used English in the everyday register; 4) for code-mixed answers, the students used Tagalog grammatical framework and inserted English terms in their answers; 5) the students' use of registers changed in progressing levels as the stages proceeds; and 6) the students' choice of language in communicating their mathematical understanding depended on the teacher's use of language and the teacher's choice of language in teaching depended on the students' language ability. The findings of the study revealed that the students' native language plays an important role in their mathematical learning and that code-switching and code-mixing can be used as resources to the teaching and learning process in a bilingual mathematics classroom. By knowing when, how, and for what purposes code-switching and code-mixing can be used, teachers can guide the students towards effective mathematical learning wherein they can express their mathematical ideas fully through the use of the linguistic resources they bring in the classroom. This study can have implications on educational policy, teacher education, and future researchers. For educational policy, this implies that students should be allowed to use the resources that they bring in the classroom. Students should be allowed to use and take advantage of the linguistic resources that they have to be able to learn mathematics and communicate their mathematical ideas effectively. For teacher education, this study entails that teachers can use the students' native language as a conduit to scaffold students’ mathematical communication. Teachers should be given the training necessary to support bilingual learners in learning mathematics successfully. For future researchers, further investigation on bilingual phenomena in Filipino mathematics classrooms should be done to theorize bilingual learning and teaching.

Keywords: code-switching • code-mixing • bilinguals • registers • language of instruction • math learning • discourse analysis