| Summary: | <p>This is a practitioner research study into the learning experience of International New Arrival students who also have English as an additional language at a secondary state school in North-West of England.</p>
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<p>Firstly, the study sought to understand INA students through a literature review and learn the aids and barriers to INA students’ positive learning experience in maths, specifically at Queensway High School (pseudonym). Following the further reading, the study explored the impact of using a home language pedagogy of translanguaging (intervention) to promote mathematical discourse in their learning experience. Year 8 INA class (COVID-19 bubble class), their two maths teachers and all INA department teaching assistants were researched in this study. During the 2-week-long intervention, students discussed in their home language with their peers and maths teachers the lesson launch questions (starter activity) on the topic (objective) taught in English in the previous lesson(s). Semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups were used to gather qualitative data with thorough ethical consideration for all participants and non-participants, including COVID-19 restrictions. These data were coded thematically under an interpretive paradigm to make meanings of perceptions of maths teachers of INAs, their specialist teaching assistants (INA-TAs), and the students themselves on the INAs’ learning experience and their reflection on the intervention.</p>
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<p>The analysis highlighted many key aids and barriers to INAs’ positive learning experience at Queensway, including with sense of inclusivity (rapport with teachers, peer support), prior mathematical education, and language proficiency as major influences. The analysis also revealed that the intervention of using home language pedagogy promoted mathematical discussion and overall positive learning experience and can be conducted by teachers who do not share the language of the learners, despite being misunderstood by some students on the importance of discussing maths.</p>
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<p>The study is evaluated throughout the report, and further limitations and opportunities for future research are discussed following the conclusion.</p>
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<p>This study was conducted during the restrictions resulting from the COVID pandemic (2020-21), including the use of online learning, changes to class structures, individual and band isolations, and school closures. The opportunities and limitations arising from these are also discussed.</p>
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