Collaborative Math Discourse Between Linguistically Diverse Students in a Community of Practice

• In Event: Centering the Student in Research on Mathematics Learning

Abstract

While mathematical discussions are promulgated as beneficial for learners, most research focuses on teacher implementation, with little known about how students participate in such lessons, especially English language learners. This study explored discourse between linguistically diverse elementary students around a cognitively demanding task within a community of practice. Findings indicated that discourse promoted students’ active contributions through language that reified mutual inclusion and engagement, mutual accountability, and mutual sharing of expertise, both linguistic and non-linguistic. The results from this study add new insight into students’ micro-level interactions, highlighting students’ use of both spoken and written text, including the ways in which students collaboratively talk, write, represent solutions, and use writing to formalize the problem-solving processes.

Authors

• Lorelei R. Coddington, Biola University
  Presenting Author

• Stacy Kula, Azusa Pacific University
  Presenting Author