The following lessons derive from DIPIP:

‘The Language of Mathematics’ is one of the DIPIP concepts:  one report notes that ‘Teachers across all PLCs engaged with the ‘Language of Mathematics’ as this is part of the DIPIP activities across all the mathematical content areas.’ Lessons learned from this aspect of DIPIP include the following

• Teachers can benefit greatly from an explicit focus on understanding and unpacking the terminology of a subject, which in turn will benefit learners. This improves understanding will clearly translate into better teaching of mathematical concepts to learners, and easier unpacking of learner misconceptions.
• Making the concept ‘The Language of Mathematics’ an explicit focus area enables progress to be tracked. In interview comments, teachers stressed that they are now much more careful about how they introduce mathematical concepts and use mathematical language in order not confuse learners. 

The following lessons apply across language issue projects in general:

• Many teachers (at any competence level in the medium of instruction) lack the skill of asking directive questions which elicit meaningful answers that show whether or not a learner understands: often questions are vague or couched in terms that don’t encourage a response (e.g. ‘Does anyone have a problem with this?)
• Error analysis helps teachers sharpen their questioning techniques, thereby making it easier for learners to explain their problem areas.
• Some kind of tracking in projects of the use of code-switching and home language in the context of subject teaching through the medium of English is an element that could be introduced into any learner-directed subject-based intervention.
• The programme content of ICT-based projects should be presented in language that is at the appropriate level and uses contextually relevant terminology.