Math isn’t just about numbers—it’s also about language. One core belief behind
Eureka Math²® is that mathematical content, math practices, and language development are interconnected. The four domains of language—reading, writing, listening, speaking—must be considered when developing language-rich math instruction that is rooted in authentic discourse. Multilingual learners (MLLs) manage a heavy cognitive load as they process new mathematical understanding while simultaneously thinking about how they can communicate their ideas and results in English. To lighten the cognitive load placed on MLLs in math classrooms, Eureka Math² embeds language supports that help these students balance all four domains of language when participating in and accessing rigorous, grade-level content.
Facilitating authentic mathematical discourse for MLLs is grounded in the belief that students can learn mathematics content at the same time they are learning the English used in math. Eureka Math² lesson content draws students’ attention to important aspects of language (e.g., functions, structure, syntax, morphology), makes mathematical language accessible, and creates a classroom environment in which all students, including MLLs, feel comfortable taking risks, talking, and learning from one another.
Another empowering embedded support in Eureka Math² is the Language Support margin boxes, which provide targeted instructional recommendations at strategic points in the lesson. These supports include tailored sentence frames and sentence starters for math discussions that help students communicate in the moment for a specific activity within the lesson.
An all-encompassing Language Support margin box appears in the first lesson of every module. This margin box prompts teachers to consider using strategic, flexible grouping in each activity. Teachers are encouraged to strategically pair students with varying math and English language proficiencies, and when appropriate, pair students who share a home language. These student groups give MLLs a safe space to process, translate, and orally rehearse ideas before contributing within a broader classroom setting.
Instructional Routines are another vital embedded support. These structured, yet adaptable, strategies coupled with a supportive classroom community provide a predictable environment that promotes language development alongside math content in the following ways:
| Instructional Routine | Description |
| Math Chat | During the Math Chat routine, students solve an open-ended task and then discuss their different solution strategies. The routine develops number sense, flexibility, efficiency, and accuracy. |
| Five Framing Questions | The Five Framing Questions routine supports students in analyzing a work sample or solution strategy by providing them with a sequence of questions to frame their thinking. |
| Always Sometime Never | The Always Sometimes Never routine promotes sense-making and justification as students support a claim with examples and non-examples. |
| Co-Construction | The Co-construction routine provides structured support for contextualizing and decontextualizing problems, which helps students build abstract reasoning. |
| Critique a Flawed Response | The Critique a Flawed Response routine promotes effective communication techniques for critiquing others’ work, correcting errors, and clarifying meaning. |
| Numbered Heads | The Numbered Heads routine helps student groups collaborate effectively by encouraging students to reach agreements and holding each student accountable for learning the material. |
| Stronger, Clearer Each Time | The Stronger, Clearer Each Time routine provides a structured, interactive opportunity for students to revise and refine their written responses. |
| Take a Stand | The Take a Stand routine supports students in making and justifying arguments as well as critiquing the reasoning of others. |
| Which One Doesn't Belong? | This routine promotes metacognition, reasoning, and mathematical discourse as students use precise language to compare different representations. |
Alongside fostering mathematical discourse, students in language-rich classrooms must systematically develop an understanding of the terminology needed to communicate mathematical concepts. Educators must consider multiple tiers of terminology support at any one time—conversational, academic, and domain-specific. Eureka Math² supports students by including
In addition to rich language development, Eureka Math² lessons use clear, concise language that avoids unnecessary complexity while maintaining academic rigor. This attention to language enables MLLs to spend less time decoding dense language and more time focusing on mathematical ideas.
Eureka Math² wasn’t designed in isolation—it was informed by research about language acquisition and content learning. An asset-based instructional approach invites teachers to observe and build on students’ strengths by asking questions such as these:
These same questions are at the heart of a curriculum that
By weaving language supports into the structure of every lesson, math instruction becomes a language-rich environment in which every routine, discussion, and reflection provides an opportunity for growth. Educators can save time by not having to search for effective ways to differentiate or support language learning—the tools are already there, integrated seamlessly into each learning experience.
All students deserve to be full participants in a math classroom, from building conceptual math understanding and knowledge to being able to converse with their peers about math, share their experiences, and ask questions. Learn more about how Eureka Math² was designed to ensure that all students can be fully engaged learners in their classrooms.