Multilingualism in Mathematics Education in Africa

Honorable Mention: African Studies Review Best Anthology or Edited Collection Prize 2025
This book brings together the first book collection of African research in mathematics education in multilingual societies and chronicles current research in different linguistic contexts across the African continent, (including Algeria, Namibia, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, South Africa) on issues of multilingualism in mathematics education, but more importantly, it foregrounds pertinent issues for future research. With many of the authors building on earlier path-breaking African research, the book is a unique contribution of careful thinking through how linguistic diversity and multilingualism manifest in ways that differ from one geopolitical context to another. This volume is an important contribution to the growing recognition of multilingualism as the global 'linguistic dispensation' in mathematics education. It is an invitation to how we might (as an international community where more and more multilingualism is the norm rather than an exception) pay more attention to the multilingual agency and capabilities of both students and teachers in order to better harness the epistemic potential of multiple languages in contexts of language diversity in mathematics education.

Anthony A. Essien is Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Series Editors' Foreword
Preface, Anthony A Essien (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa)
Part I: Critical Engagement of Language Policies/Planning and their Implementation or Reforms in Mathematics Education
1. The Concept of Language-as-(Re)Sources of Meaning from an African Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities in Mathematics Education, Anthony A Essien (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Ingrid Sapire (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa) and Matshidiso M Moleko (University of the Free State, South Africa)
2. Exploring the Implications of the Multilingual Turn in Mathematics Education Research for South African Policy Makers, Researchers and Educators, Sally-Ann Robertson (University of Rhodes, South Africa) and Melony Graven (University of Rhodes, South Africa)
3. Teaching and Learning Mathematics in Algeria as a Multilingual Country: Difficulties, Challenges and Hints for Future Research Studies, Nadia Azrou
4. Novice Teachers' Use of Mother Tongue in Mathematics Junior Primary Multilingual Classrooms in Northern Namibia, Tulonga Tulimeutho Shuukwanyama (University of Namibia, Namibia), Jeremiah S. Maseko (University of Johannesburg, South Africa) and Caroline Long (University of Johannesburg, South Africa)
Part II: Curriculum and Pedagogy Issues in Multilingual Education within Mathematics in Africa
5. Multilingualism Challenges in Mathematics Education in Morocco, Moulay Driss Aqil (Pace University, USA)
Part III: Support and Development of Mathematical Practices in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in a Specific Linguistic Setting in Africa
6. Supporting the development of Content-Specific Language-Responsive Mathematical Teaching Practices in Multilingual Classrooms in Africa, Jill Adler and Anthony A Essien (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa)
7. African Language/English Bilingual Curriculum Materials: What Educative Supports does the Bala Wande Package offer Teachers? Hamsa Venkat and Samantha Morrison (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa)
8. English Medium Instruction Mathematics Teaching and Learning: Issues for Research, Rachel Bowden (University of Bristol, UK), Innocente Uwineza (University of Rwanda, Rwanda), Jean Claude Dushimimana (University of Rwanda, Rwanda) and Alphonse Uworwabayeho (University of Rwanda, Rwanda)
Part IV :Language Issues in Teaching with Mathematics Register in an Indigenous (African) Language and Directions for Future Research
9. Preparing Teachers to Teach Mathematics in Home Languages in Malawi: What We Know, What We Need to Know, and Directions for Future Research, Mercy Kazima, Justina Longwe and Fraser Gobede (University of Malawi, Malawi)
10. Epilogue: Whose Languages? Whose Mathematics? Richard Barwell (University of Ottawa, Canada)
Index