Chapter 2: Latino/A Students’ Understanding of Equivalence: Use of Two Standards-Based Curricula in Eighth-Grade Algebra

Mandates across the United States calling for algebra in the eighth grade heighten the demand for curricula that support all students in learning algebra. Few published studies consider curricular influences on mathematics learning, and researchers (e.g., Stein, Remillard, & Smith, 2007) have called for more research devoted to influences of curricula on student learning. If we are to improve the teaching and learning of algebra for all students, it is imperative that we examine in detail how curriculum influences learning for Latino/a students.

This chapter documents a study that examined how Latino/a students used the resources related to two standards-based curricula to develop understanding of a fundamental idea in algebra. The study focused on the concept of equivalence and examines how students used two types of resources, language and curricular models, to solve problems involving equivalence.