Abstract
In this paper, we frame mathematics classrooms as heterogeneous spaces wherein students draw on multiple storylines based on different notions of schooling and school mathematics to both communicate mathematical ideas and position themselves and one another. We focus on a fourth grade (age range 9.4–10.8 years) mathematics classroom discussion in a racially and linguistically diverse urban school in the Southeastern US. Our results reveal that some students drew from traditional notions of school mathematics focused on evaluating right and wrong answers, while others drew on a more dialogic notion of school mathematics supported by local ground rules for making reasoning explicit, revising one’s thinking, and inviting multiple voices. The result was a heterogeneous space that both enabled and constrained possibilities for the construction of a dialogic space. We end with a discussion of the complexities of dialogic teaching in mathematics classrooms given the discipline’s narrative history.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1313-1322 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | ZDM - Mathematics Education |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- Dialogic teaching
- Math discussion
- Peer interaction
- Positioning
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Education
- Mathematics(all)
Cite this
“I’m trying to figure this out. Why don’t you come up here?” : heterogeneous talk and dialogic space in a mathematics discussion. / Langer-Osuna, Jennifer M.; Avalos, Mary.
In: ZDM - Mathematics Education, Vol. 47, No. 7, 01.11.2015, p. 1313-1322.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - “I’m trying to figure this out. Why don’t you come up here?”
T2 - heterogeneous talk and dialogic space in a mathematics discussion
AU - Langer-Osuna, Jennifer M.
AU - Avalos, Mary
PY - 2015/11/1
Y1 - 2015/11/1
N2 - In this paper, we frame mathematics classrooms as heterogeneous spaces wherein students draw on multiple storylines based on different notions of schooling and school mathematics to both communicate mathematical ideas and position themselves and one another. We focus on a fourth grade (age range 9.4–10.8 years) mathematics classroom discussion in a racially and linguistically diverse urban school in the Southeastern US. Our results reveal that some students drew from traditional notions of school mathematics focused on evaluating right and wrong answers, while others drew on a more dialogic notion of school mathematics supported by local ground rules for making reasoning explicit, revising one’s thinking, and inviting multiple voices. The result was a heterogeneous space that both enabled and constrained possibilities for the construction of a dialogic space. We end with a discussion of the complexities of dialogic teaching in mathematics classrooms given the discipline’s narrative history.
AB - In this paper, we frame mathematics classrooms as heterogeneous spaces wherein students draw on multiple storylines based on different notions of schooling and school mathematics to both communicate mathematical ideas and position themselves and one another. We focus on a fourth grade (age range 9.4–10.8 years) mathematics classroom discussion in a racially and linguistically diverse urban school in the Southeastern US. Our results reveal that some students drew from traditional notions of school mathematics focused on evaluating right and wrong answers, while others drew on a more dialogic notion of school mathematics supported by local ground rules for making reasoning explicit, revising one’s thinking, and inviting multiple voices. The result was a heterogeneous space that both enabled and constrained possibilities for the construction of a dialogic space. We end with a discussion of the complexities of dialogic teaching in mathematics classrooms given the discipline’s narrative history.
KW - Dialogic teaching
KW - Math discussion
KW - Peer interaction
KW - Positioning
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U2 - 10.1007/s11858-015-0735-y
DO - 10.1007/s11858-015-0735-y
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AN - SCOPUS:84947445629
VL - 47
SP - 1313
EP - 1322
JO - ZDM - International Journal on Mathematics Education
JF - ZDM - International Journal on Mathematics Education
SN - 1863-9690
IS - 7
ER -