Language and literacy in mathematics: stepping stones or stumbling blocks in accelerating junior-secondary students

The authors have collaborated in the development and initial evaluation of a curriculum for mathematics acceleration. This paper reports upon the difficulties encountered with documenting student understanding using pen-and-paper assessment tasks. This leads to a discussion of the impact of students’ language and literacy on mathematical performance and the consequences for motivation and engagement as a result of simplifying the language in the tests, and extending student work to algebraic representations. In turn, implications are drawn for revisions to assessment used within the project and the language and literacy focus included within student learning experiences.