Mr. Isaac Nyarko Antwi, English Language Tutor; Ms. Michealla Koduah, Teaching Intern (UEW); and Mr. Owusu Antepim, Most Outstanding Teacher (2nd Runner-up), Ghana Teacher Prize, 2018
By Mr. Isaac Nyarko Antwi, English Language Tutor; Ms. Michealla Koduah, Teaching Intern (UEW); and Mr. Owusu Antepim, Most Outstanding Teacher (2nd Runner-up), Ghana Teacher Prize, 2018.
A student looks at a mathematics question, reads it twice, and pauses. The student understands the concept taught in class but cannot determine exactly what the question requires. Another learner begins solving a problem, only to abandon it halfway through because the wording has become confusing. A third skips the question entirely, convinced that it is too difficult.
Are these students struggling with mathematics alone, or are they also struggling with the language through which mathematics is communicated?
Responses gathered from 14 students to eight questions about their experiences with mathematics offer an important perspective on this concern. Their answers suggest that, for some learners, the difficulty may begin before the first calculation is performed. It may begin with reading, interpreting and understanding the question.
One student admitted, “Yes, especially word problems,” when asked whether they sometimes understood the mathematics but not the question. Another explained that the mathematical concept might be simple, but the way the questions were presented could cause confusion. A student similarly observed that one might know how to solve a mathematical problem but still become confused by the instructions described in the question.
These experiences deserve serious attention.
Mathematics is often associated with numbers, symbols, formulas and calculations. Yet, the medium of instruction for mathematical assignments and exercises is English, particularly when students are required to solve word problems, interpret instructions, or apply concepts to everyday situations. Students must understand what mathematical terms such as evaluate, compute, at least and at most require before they can respond appropriately.
When learners misunderstand these expressions, their difficulty may not necessarily lie in their ability to calculate. It may lie in interpreting the instruction.
One student identified “evaluate” as a confusing mathematical word, while another mentioned “compute”. Such examples illustrate how ordinary English expressions can carry specific mathematical meanings.
This raises an important question: are we giving sufficient attention to the language students need to learn mathematics successfully?
The concern becomes even more significant when questions are lengthy. One student explained, “I am slow. By the time I am done reading, I am discouraged.” Another reported understanding the beginning of a question but finding the ending difficult and confusing. A further response captured the frustration of repeatedly attempting a problem without arriving at the correct answer.
For these learners, a lengthy question can become more than a mathematical exercise. It can become a source of exhaustion, uncertainty and declining confidence. One student even admitted, “I just leave it like that, and I cry.”
Such a response should make educators pause and reflect. Behind a seemingly unanswered question may be a learner who needs clearer instructions, patient guidance or help interpreting the information provided. Although language difficulties are not the only possible explanation for poor performance, they should not be overlooked.
The students’ responses clearly highlight the different means of coping with these challenges. Some of the learners, judging from their responses, seek assistance from their teachers or colleagues. Others also make good use of the internet or AI tools. Some practise repeatedly, while others become discouraged and abandon the question. These differences remind us that learners do not all respond to difficulty in the same way.
Encouragingly, the students themselves have offered practical suggestions. One recommended that teachers “use simple English and teach maths vocabulary”. Another asked teachers to “come down to our level and explain it for us to understand”. Others called for step-by-step explanations, regular practice, extra classes and the use of real-life examples.
Furthermore, there should be a collaboration between Mathematics and English teachers to strengthen this approach. English teachers can assist students in honing their reading and comprehension skills, interpreting instructions and recognising relationships expressed through language.
Teachers must also continue to address gaps in mathematical knowledge, because not every difficulty with a word problem originates in language.
Schools must support collaboration and provide opportunities for additional instruction where necessary.
The central message is simple: before concluding that a student cannot do mathematics, let us establish whether the student understands what the question is asking.
A correct answer begins with understanding the problem. If language prevents a learner from understanding the problem in the first place, we must address the barrier rather than merely repeat the calculation.
Mathematics should challenge students to think, reason and solve problems. It should not leave them defeated simply because they cannot interpret the words through which those problems are presented.
Perhaps the next breakthrough in mathematics education will not begin with a new formula. It will begin when we teach students to understand the question.
The writers are Mr. Isaac Nyarko Antwi, English Language Tutor; Ms. Michealla Koduah, Teaching Intern (UEW); and Mr. Owusu Antepim, Most Outstanding Teacher (2nd Runner-up), Ghana Teacher Prize, 2018.
All authors are affiliated with Kumasi Girls’ Senior High School, Abrepo–Kumasi.
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