Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers' Mathematics Language Training

Abstract

The importance of the mathematics language in learning is indisputable. Mathematics teachers are responsible to provide the mathematics language skills apart from the mathematics concepts. This study was conducted in two steps. In the first step, a diagnostic test was prepared to evaluate the mathematics language skills, and applied to 64 middle school mathematics pre-service teachers and ten junior mathematics teachers. Then, five pre-service teachers and five junior teachers were interviewed about their answers in the test. In the second step, the effects of the mathematics language course, offered by the researcher, on the students' mathematics language skills were investigated with a teaching experiment, conducted in this course for an academic semester. During this teaching experiment, data is collected through the observations of the researcher, reports and presentations of the students, and the test conducted at the end of the semester. The findings of the first step indicated not only most of pre-service teachers but also junior mathematics teachers had difficulties with the language of mathematics. In the second step, it was concluded that the course had positive effects on students' reading skills with comprehension, writing skills in the structure of the language and teaching skills of the language.