Explicit Teaching?

There are many things I have taken away from this class.  And one of those things: explicit teaching.

When teaching students with special needs?  Make it explicit!

When teaching students who are learning English?  Make it explicit! 

However, as I have tried to synthesize information from not just this class, but every class we have had thus far.  And the one piece of information I am having trouble synthesizing?

In EDU 722 we have talked about how you don't teach math explicitly.  You let use manipulative's and word problems to gain their own understanding.

How does all of that work with students who are learning English?  Do you instead focus vocabulary on terms they must know to succeed?

• addition
• subtraction
• word sentence

How do you work with them to express how they solved a word problem?  They may not have the language ability in the English to express their thoughts.

And what about students with special needs?

How do you help them in math if you are focus on their letting them do it at their developmental level?  Is that enough? How do you help them form concept understanding without explicit teaching?  How do you help them make the leap from what they are doing to a habit, a pattern that they see as useful to problem solving in mathematics?

So, friends who are in both classes... what are your thoughts?  Have your run into this same dilemma?