Amplifying All Students’ Voices: The Development of the Comprehensive Mathematical Discourse Framework

• In Event: Agency and Voice in the Math Classroom

Abstract

Although the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (1991) seminally described discourse as including writing and speaking as expressive modes of communication, research and practice have predominantly focused on oral exchanges. Doing so privileges some students and limits all students’ ability to learn and use writing-specific ways of communicating in mathematics, including visual representations and symbolic notation. This session presents the development of the Comprehensive Mathematical Discourse Framework (CMDF) that extends class-level discussions to support elementary students’ mathematical writing. Participatory action research was conducted with teachers and mathematics coaches to fine-tune the original framework through identified strengths and suggested improvements to increase the likelihood that the CMDF will promote students’ expressive and receptive communication involving mathematical reasoning.

Authors

• Tutita M. Casa, University of Connecticut

• Fabiana Cardetti, University of Connecticut

• Janine M. Firmender, Saint Joseph's University

• Madelyn M. Colonnese, University of North Carolina - Charlotte