Abstract
This ethnographic study examined students’ opportunities to learn in linguistically
diverse mathematics classrooms in a Canadian elementary school. I specifically
examined the contextual change of group work, which influenced the opportunities to
learn for newly arrived English language learners (ELLs). Based on analyses of videorecorded
interactions, this study revealed a shift in these ELLs’ opportunities to learn
from when they worked with teacher-assigned peers to when they worked with friends.
In both settings, ELLs tended to be positioned as novices. However, when working with
friends, they accessed a wider variety of work practices. In friend groups, ELLs were
occasionally positioned as experts and had more opportunities to raise questions and offer
ideas. In contrast, when working with teacher-assigned peers, ELLs tended to remain in
the position of being helped. In some teacher-assigned groups, interactions were
characterized as authoritative, and ELLs’ contributions and ideas were rejected or
neglected without relevant justifications or mathematical authority established by their
peers. The findings will contribute to ongoing discussions on group work and friendship in linguistically diverse classrooms.
Refereed
Yes
