Beyond Stereotypes: Uncovering Symbolic Exclusion in School Mathematical Discourse

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 7:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Addressing Identity Development in Mathematics Classrooms: Are We Helping or Hurting Our Students?

Abstract

This study investigates how symbolic gender exclusion is reproduced through school mathematical discourse in rural secondary classrooms. Drawing on socioepistemology, affect theory, and feminist epistemology, it examines how teachers’ beliefs and emotions shape interaction patterns that subtly marginalize girls. Using a triangulated design—combining teacher questionnaires, anecdotal records, and video analysis—the study identifies exclusionary dynamics in spatial arrangements, recognition practices, and classroom discourse. Findings show that exclusion is not always explicit but embedded in everyday norms of participation. A three-dimensional model illustrates how exclusion operates across peer interaction, teacher–student dynamics, and spatial organization. This research contributes to the expansion of socioepistemological theory by integrating gender as a structural dimension of school mathematics and offering insights for equity-focused classroom research.

Author

• Olimpia Gomez, Autonomous University of Yucatan