ABSTRACT
Jamison Middle School is a neighborhood school that has experienced a shift in its student population since it opened 15 years ago. Originally, the student population was homogenous with mostly White students from middle-class families who lived in the surrounding neighborhoods. However, over the last few years, the student population has become both culturally and linguistically diverse. Despite the changes in the student population, the teaching staff has remained stable and the majority of the teachers speak only English. Teachers are grappling with methods to meet the needs of their increasingly diverse student population. Teachers are constantly asking themselves questions such as “How can I teach students who do not understand the language that I am using?”, “What can I do to prepare these students to be successful mathematically?”, and “What are effective strategies for helping my English language learners?”
