This week the student math work I collected was a page from the Everyday Math Student Work Journal that was completed by my very low level ESL student. The journal page that was completed as homework asked students to solve addition problems using specific methods of addition and to show their work. This ESL student got all of the answers correct, but did not show any work. Because he has such low ability with English and that he does not show his work it is difficult to figure out if he understands the new methods that were taught for solving addition, if he is using the traditional method used for completing addition problems, or if he is using another method he learned in the past.
Since I do not have enough evidence of this student's thinking I do not have enough information to formulate ways to further his thinking. I also there is too big of a deficit of language understanding to be able to begin to attempt to further this student's understanding. At this point in this student's language understanding the best I can hope for is that, with prompting, this student shows his work so I can see his thinking and then begin to challenge him, since it appears he understands basic math concepts.
As a side note: Sorry this post is late. I have no excuse except that it slipped my mind.
What other strategies can you think of using here? Specifically, what other students might you think of connecting this student with so that he can better communicate his ideas?
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