Math skills crucial for ESL freshmen—any suggestions?

Hello, all. I'm an ESL student in junior year, and math was pretty challenging for me as a freshman because of the language barrier. I'm planning on creating a guide to help upcoming ESL freshmen. What do you reckon are the most important math skills that should be taught to ESL high school freshmen?

As an individual who has interacted with a lot of international students, the most critical math skills for ESL high school freshmen often revolve around understanding math terminology in English and developing strong foundational skills in various math topics. Here are a few areas to consider:

1. Math Vocabulary: Understand and familiarize themselves with the English terminology used in math. Terms such as 'sum,' 'difference,' 'product,' 'quotient,' 'fraction,' 'decimal,' 'exponent,' 'ratio', 'variable', and 'equation' are very commonly used.

2. Basic Operations: ESL students should be proficient in the four primary mathematical operations, i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They should be able to do these both with whole numbers and fractions/decimals.

3. Fractions and Decimals: Understanding how to use, interpret, and manipulate fractions and decimals. This includes converting between the two, as well as performing arithmetic operations.

4. Algebra Basics: Understanding how to work with variables and simple linear equations could be beneficial. Also, understanding how to translate words into mathematical expressions can be very helpful.

5. Geometry Basics: Basic understanding of geometry like identifying shapes, understanding the concepts of area, perimeter, angles, and an introduction to the Pythagorean theorem.

6. Problem Solving: It's also essential to include real-world examples and problem-solving skills, since math is frequently applied to real-world situations.

For creating your guide, you could even consider integrating visual aids and step-by-step examples to assist these students in understanding these concepts. It would be great if you added common mistakes and misconceptions that students might have in each topic, explaining why they are incorrect, and providing the correct way to approach these problems. Remember, consistent practice is key in math, so including a variety of practice problems could be really beneficial. Good luck with your project!