Keeping Records While Solving Problems: A Study of Multilingual Learner and First-Language English Speaking Students
Saved in:
| Title: | Keeping Records While Solving Problems: A Study of Multilingual Learner and First-Language English Speaking Students |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Daniel J. Heck (ORCID |
| Source: | Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education. 2026 29(4):29-62. |
| Availability: | International Consortium for Research in Science & Mathematics Education. TCU Box 297900, Fort Worth, TX 76129. Tel: 817-257-6115; e-mail: ICRSME.Consultation@gmail.com; Web site: http://ejrsme.icrsme.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 34 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) |
| Contract Number: | 1348810 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education Elementary Education Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 High Schools |
| Descriptors: | Middle School Students, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Multilingualism, Bilingual Students, Monolingualism, Mathematics Education, Problem Solving, Documentation, Difficulty Level, Cognitive Processes, Scoring Rubrics |
| ISSN: | 2692-241X |
| Abstract: | Creating written records while working on mathematics tasks may help students make sense of tasks and free cognitive resources for reasoning as they offload elements of the problemsolving process to paper. We investigated the extent of cognitive processes of multilingual learner (ML) and first-language English speaking (non-ML) students' record keeping (RK) on tasks designed with and without supports for RK and the association between evidence of students' cognitive process in RK (EC-RK) and the correctness of their solutions. Grades 7-9 (aged 12 to 16) students worked on RK-Supported or RK-Unsupported versions of three tasks, and we rubric-scored their solutions for both EC-RK and correctness. Overall, higher EC-RK scores were associated with greater correctness, confirming the utility of EC-RK for solving mathematics tasks. The presence of supports, though, did not increase the extent to which students' RK reflects their cognitive processes, yet correctness of ML students' solutions was associated with solving the RK-Supported versions of the tasks. This result suggests benefits of these supports for ML students apart from encouraging EC-RK. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1495713 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Creating written records while working on mathematics tasks may help students make sense of tasks and free cognitive resources for reasoning as they offload elements of the problemsolving process to paper. We investigated the extent of cognitive processes of multilingual learner (ML) and first-language English speaking (non-ML) students' record keeping (RK) on tasks designed with and without supports for RK and the association between evidence of students' cognitive process in RK (EC-RK) and the correctness of their solutions. Grades 7-9 (aged 12 to 16) students worked on RK-Supported or RK-Unsupported versions of three tasks, and we rubric-scored their solutions for both EC-RK and correctness. Overall, higher EC-RK scores were associated with greater correctness, confirming the utility of EC-RK for solving mathematics tasks. The presence of supports, though, did not increase the extent to which students' RK reflects their cognitive processes, yet correctness of ML students' solutions was associated with solving the RK-Supported versions of the tasks. This result suggests benefits of these supports for ML students apart from encouraging EC-RK. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2692-241X |
