Abstract thinking and bilingualism: Impact on learning mathematics

Leila Salekhova (1) , Nail Tuktamishov (2)

1 KPFU - Kazan State University
2 Kazan State University of Architecture and Engineering

Studies on the impact of bilingualism on academic performance in mathematics generally focus on potential problems faced by bilingual students rather than potentials and opportunities. The current research took an alternative approach and explored whether learning advantages for bilinguals may reveal themselves in solving difficult mathematical tasks that require abstract reasoning. Sixty-two bilingual and monolingual first-year students of Kazan Federal University participated in the experiment. No differences were found between bilingual and monolingual samples in solving easy and medium mathematical tasks; however, an advantage on the side of the bilingual students was observed with some of the most difficult tasks. The results from this study therefore show that bilingualism may be related to abstract thinking abilities and mathematics learning.

Mots clés: Abstract thinking; learning mathematics; bilingualism

Domaines: Mathématiques [math]; Education

Leila Salekhova, Nail Tuktamishov. Abstract thinking and bilingualism: Impact on learning mathematics. Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Utrecht University, Feb 2019, Utrecht, Netherlands. ⟨hal-02435382⟩