A framework for the study of written and spoken discourse: school mathematics in Palestine

Abstract

The way in which mathematics is communicated and represented in schools (including the written language, symbols and diagrams of mathematics textbooks and the verbal/spoken classroom interaction itself) constructs particular views of the nature of mathematics and expectations about students’ participation in mathematical activity. In a previous article, we developed an analytic framework for examining the nature of mathematics and mathematical activity in textbooks in Palestinian schools and England. Here we extend our analysis to include the verbal/spoken language in two classrooms. To illustrate the application of the suggested framework, we present three cases from a particular social context (Palestine). We analyse an instance of a written textbook for grade 7 and spoken discourse in two classes in grades five and six. We show how studying written and spoken discourse enables us to draw a picture of mathematics, mathematical activities and learning mathematics in schools context.