The Construction of the Social Context of Mathematics Classrooms: A Sociolinguistic Analysis

• Published in: Journal for research in mathematics education Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 63 - 82
• Main Authors: Atweh, Bill, Bleicher, Robert E., Cooper, Tom J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 01-01-1998
• Subjects: Academic Ability; Classroom Environment; Classroom interaction; College mathematics; Cultural context; Discourse analysis; Elementary Secondary Education; Gender Differences; Halliday (M); Learning Strategies; Mathematical functions; Mathematical knowledge; Mathematics; Mathematics curricula; Mathematics Curriculum; Mathematics Education; Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics teachers; Sex Differences; Social Class; Social Environment; Socioeconomic Background; Socioeconomic Influences; Socioeconomics; Sociolinguistics; Student Needs; Teacher attitudes; Teacher Characteristics; Teacher expectations of students; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Teaching Styles
• ISSN: 0021-8251; 1945-2306
• DOI: 10.2307/749718

This study employed sociolinguistic perspectives developed by Michael Halliday to investigate the social context of 2 mathematics classrooms that differed in the socioeconomic backgrounds and genders of their students. Our analysis focused on the effects of these 2 factors on teacher perceptions of student needs and abilities and on how these perceptions shaped the discourse in the classroom. We argue that as mathematical knowledge is being constructed in the classroom, the student participants are being constructed by the teachers according to their ability in and need for different dialects of mathematics that have different values in our Western culture.