Chapter 17: The Role of Academic Language in Understanding Mathematics Achievements of Immigrant Students in Israel

This chapter draws on a national study that explored the educational achievements of immigrant students over a course of 12 years of residence in Israel. We focus on the role and meaning of academic language (native and second language) in explaining mathematics achievements of immigrant students from the former USSR and Ethiopia. Quantitative data from elementary, middle, and high school highlighted the nature and effects of the interaction between academic language proficiency and mathematics achievements. Results suggest that more attention be paid to academic language in the mathematics context and thus to expand the construct of academic language to academic literacy.