The role of literacy skills in mathematics learning

Research literature agrees that literacy skills play a considerable role in mathematics learning. Thus, mathematic tasks with high demands on literacy skills are a challenge to students with low literacy skills. The aim of the symposium is to provide new insights into the role of language skills for learning and assessment of mathematics skills and how mathematics learning of students with low literacy skills can be supported. Piia Bjorn, University of Jyvaskyla, Finnland, investigates the extent to which basic literacy skills and calculation skills predict mathematical word problem solving skills three and five years later. Stefan Ufer, University of Munich, Germany, reports on a longitudinal study focusing the effects of language skills and socio-economic background on the development of mathematics skills in monolingual and bilingual students. Caroline Villiger, University of Teacher Education Freiburg, Switzerland, reports on an intervention study on cooperative learning in mathematics with tasks requiring literacy skills. Nicole Haag, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany, investigates the issue of second language learners and assessment of mathematics achievement. The role of linguistic simplifications of test items will be analysed. Finally, Lieven Verschaffel, University of Leuven, Netherlands, completes the symposium by discussing the scientific and educational relevance and implications of the presentations.status: publishe