Which challenge is often faced in math instruction for ESL students?

In math instruction for ESL students, one significant challenge is jargon. Mathematics has its own set of terminology that can be quite abstract and specialized. Terms like "variable," "exponent," and "integer" may not only be unfamiliar to ESL students, but can also create barriers to understanding the concepts being taught. Since these students may already be grappling with the English language, introducing math terminology that is not only technical but also language-specific can compound their challenges in learning.

Effective math instruction for ESL students involves not only teaching the mathematical concepts but also ensuring that the language used is accessible. Educators often need to explicitly teach math vocabulary and integrate language development strategies into their lessons to help students build both their mathematical and language skills simultaneously.

The other options, while they may present challenges in different contexts, do not directly address the specific impact of specialized terminology in the way that jargon does. For example, complex literature and metaphorical language pertain more to language arts than math, and spiral calculations do not inherently contain language challenges but rather focus on the structure of the math curriculum.