The role of language switching in Iranian bilingual students when solving mathematical problems

The purpose of this study was to explore of the role of language switching in a group of Iranian bilingual students while they were involved in mathematical problem solving. Language switching has been viewed as a common practice in bilingual students in their classroom, particularly for mathematics learning. In bilingual students, using their first language to solve at least part of a problem may facilitate mathematical thinking and lead to a successful problem solving process. The bilingual children in this study were comprised of sixteen Iranian non-English speaking background (NESB) Year 4 and 5 students who attended state schools on weekdays and participated in two Persian schools on weekends during term 4, 2005. To address the main aim of the study, four research questions were posed; (i) To what extent do Year 4/5 Iranian NESB students use language switching while solving different types of mathematical problems?, (ii) What factors prompt language switching (if any) in this sample of bilingual students?, (iii) Is there any relationship between proficiency in the L1 (Persian) and L2 (English) languages and mathematics performance/ competency?, and (iv) What, if any, relationship exists between students’ background and language switching?<br><br>After completing a pilot study and reviewing the results, a qualitative case study methodology was chosen as the most appropriate means of providing in-depth data for the main aim of this research. Based on Clarkson’s (1996) study, data was derived from the transcripts of a semi-structured interview, two language comprehension tests, and a questionnaire administered to parents. The interview was comprised of two phases; a mathematical problem solving phase which involved three different types of mathematical questions (word problems, symbolic and open-ended questions) and an associated Language Switching Checklist; and, in phase 2, a series of questions about the student’s problem solving strategies, their use of language switching, and home background. Language comprehension tests comprised of an English reading comprehension (TORCH) test in a cloze format, and a Persian reading comprehension test in a short-answer format, were used to determine the level of students’ proficiency in English (L1) and Persian (L2). The parent questionnaire contained items regarding home status and background, such as parents’ expectation for their children’s education, and the language spoken most of the time at home. <br><br>Results showed that a large proportion of Iranian NESB students used language switching to solve the three types of mathematics problems, particularly word problems. In focussing on the type of questions attempted, language switching occurred more frequently in solving word problems. The main reason for language switching in this group of bilingual children was problem difficulty. An in-depth investigation of the data showed that difficulty in comprehending the problem and/ or implementing an appropriate strategy, prompted language switching. Other factors influencing language switching were: familiarity with particular numbers used habitually, and being in the Persian school or interview environment. Findings indicated that high proficiency in both languages may be associated with high competency in mathematics. Parents’ attitudes and speaking Persian at home may contribute to the event of language switching in Iranian NESB students when solving mathematical problems.<br><br>The number of students involved in this study was far too small to generalize the findings. However, consistent with the findings of Clarkson (1996) and Latu (2005), the phenomenon of language switching by bilingual students should be considered in mathematics classrooms. Improvement of both L1 and L2 proficiency appears to be associated with the level of mathematical performance, as presented in the literature (Clarkson, 1996; Clarkson & Dawe, 1996; Erktin & Akyel, 2005). Presenting mathematical questions in a simple or reworded format could assist bilingual students to comprehend and solve a problem properly. It is suggested that these findings should be taken into account in developing an appropriate mathematics curriculum for bilingual students in an Australian context.<br>