"Don't Talk While We Talk": Conflicting Messages About Talking in the Mathematics Classroom

• In Event: Middle and High School Mathematics Discourse: Creating Learning Opportunities

Abstract

While discussions, argumentation, and collaboration between students are considered key elements of ‘reform-oriented’ mathematics instruction, teachers often struggle to engage students to participate in classroom talk. Given students often have tendencies to casually converse with each other, what makes them engage less actively with mathematical talk? Exploring an aspect of this question, this paper looks at the intersection of talk-oriented mathematics instruction and classroom norms about order and behavior. Through three classroom vignettes, we argue that teacher messages to maintain order complicate student perceptions of ‘talk’ as a legitimate mathematical activity. Implications for scholarly research and classroom practice are discussed.

Authors

• Abhinav Ghosh, Harvard University

• Jon R. Star, Harvard University