Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

Summer 2026

Abstract

Multilingual learners often encounter challenges in mathematics classrooms due to the linguistic and interpretive demands of mathematical discourse and problem-solving. This qualitative case study investigated how three seventh-grade multilingual learners developed and demonstrated algebraic thinking during collaborative mathematical problem-solving tasks. Specifically, the study examined students’ strategies and resources, the challenges they encountered, and how language, collaboration, and representation supported algebraic and functional reasoning.

Guided by situated learning theory, sociocultural developmental theory, and the Algebraic Habits of Mind framework, the study emphasized social interaction, language, and contextualized problem-solving. Participants were Spanish-speaking multilingual learners developing academic proficiency in English in a middle grades mathematics setting in the southeastern United States. Data sources included semi-structured interviews, audio-recorded collaborative problem-solving sessions, student work samples, and researcher field notes. Data were analyzed using iterative coding, a hybrid deductive–inductive approach, thematic analysis, and the constant comparative method.

Findings revealed that students relied on pattern recognition, collaborative discourse, and multiple representations to interpret mathematical relationships and construct algebraic rules. Peer interaction helped students clarify ideas, refine interpretations, and generalize mathematical reasoning. Informal mathematical language served as a bridge to formal symbolic representation as students generalized patterns, constructed rules, and reasoned about functional change. The findings suggest that discourse-centered collaborative environments, intentional mathematical language scaffolding, and opportunities for pattern generalization and functional reasoning can support multilingual learners’ algebraic development.

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