We All Speak Maths

Maths is often described as a universal language, having its own precise, efficient register and mathematical symbols with their own syntax and grammar. This chapter begins by considering how all maths classrooms are therefore bilingual and explores ways in which this can be reflected in the planning and delivery of maths lessons. Many learners experience maths as a foreign language. Some reasons for this are considered, including false friends, words used differently in maths and the cultural capital and carrier language that are often used in maths classroom to make the content more realistic. Pedagogical approaches are shared that ensure learners who experience the subject as a foreign language can nevertheless access maths.