ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the state of research on mathematics and science education in dual language (DL) and multilingual classrooms. Over the past 30 years, language, classroom discourse, and discourse practices have become an increasing area of focus in mathematics and science education research. The focus on discourse and mathematical and scientific practices are evident in standards documents, but with varying degrees of focus on using asset-based theories related to teaching multilingual learners. More recently, mathematics and science education researchers have produced research summarizing asset-based teaching practices to promote student engagement in discourse. In this chapter, we (a) provide an orientation to current scholarship, with a focus on research that has examined the interplay of language(s), discourse, and practices; (b) summarize research related to science and mathematics teaching and learning in multilingual settings, highlighting key issues that cut across science and mathematics education research; and (c) present an example of current research to illustrate the key issues in current research. The example focuses on a primary DL science classroom and examines how teachers can utilize language to engage in scientific practices. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of implications for educators and researchers.
