Bilingual students' performance in the context of probability and statistics teaching in Danish high schools

Mie Haumann Petersen defends her MSc thesis in mathematics. 

Censor: Professor Claus Michelsen, University of Southern Denmark

Supervisor: Professor Carl Winsløw, IND

Abstract:

This thesis investigates the performance of bilingual students in the context of probability and statistics based on case studies following the methodology of TDS (the Theory of Didactical Situations), and focuses on the difficulties related to language which, according to the research literature, may arise for learners whose first language is not the language of instruction. The thesis investigates this in relation to critical notions such as spread, frequency, relative frequency and independence. The data has been obtained through a questionnaire answered by students at a Danish High School (H.C. Ørsted Gymnasium, Frederiksberg) and observations made at another Danish High School (Frederiksberg Gymnasium), where the focus of the following analysis has been lexically ambiguous words and the transitions between formal and “everyday” language. The case studies showed several cases of semantical and syntactical difficulties amongst the bilingual students which became evident and problematic particularly in the formulation phases. The thesis concludes that bilingual students experience language related problems which are both semantical and syntactical but as some of these language related problems were also experienced by monolingual students, the thesis does not conclude that language related problems in the context of probability and statistics occur exclusively with bilingual students. However, it would appear that some of the language related difficulties are enforced due to bilingualism.

Attendance:

If you wish to attend, write to winslow@ind.ku.dk to obtain the zoom link.