The Pragmatics of Mathematics Education: Vagueness and Mathematical Discourse (Studies in Mathematics Education Series, 14)

Are students intimidated by the nature of mathematics teaching? Many students appear fearful of voicing their understanding - is fear of error part of the linguistics of mathematics? The approaches explored here provide a rationale and a method for exploring and understanding speakers' motives in classroom mathematics talk. Teacher-student interactions in mathematics are analysed, and this provides a toolkit that teachers can use to respond to the intellectual vulnerability of their students.

shows How To Use Linguistic Understanding To Improve Communication Of Mathematics Teaching
• Fresh And Stimulating Analysis Of Language In Mathematics Talk

drawing On Philosophy Of Language And Recent Linguistic Theory, Rowland Surveys Several Approaches To Classroom Communication In Mathematics. Are Students Intimidated By The Nature Of Mathematics Teaching? Many Students Appear Fearful Of Voicing Their Understanding - Is Fear Of Error Part Of The Linguistics Of Mathematics? The Approaches Explored Here Provide A Rationale And A Method For Exploring And Understanding Speakers' Motives In Classroom Mathematics Talk. Teacher-student Interactions In Mathematics Are Analyzed, And This Provides A Toolkit That Teachers Can Use To Respond To The Intellectual Vulnerability Of Their Students.

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in This Examination Of The Crossroads Between Linguistics And Mathematics, Rowland (mathematics Education, Homerton College, U. Of Cambridge) Argues That Vagueness In Mathematical Discourse (particularly For Those Of Us Just Learning Something) Can Be Viewed As A Subtle And Versatile Device Which Speakers Can And Do Deploy To Make Mathematical Assertions With As Much Precision, Accuracy, Or As Much Confidence As They Judge Is Warranted By Both The Content And The Circumstances Of Their Utterances. The Foundation Of This Theory Came From Mathematical Conversations Rowland Held With Students (ages 5-25) In Which He Examined The Circumstances When Vagueness Arose In Mathematical Talk. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknews.com)

Drawing on philosophy of language and recent linguistic theory, Rowland surveys several approaches to classroom communication in mathematics. Are students intimidated by the nature of mathematics teaching? Many students appear fearful of voicing their understanding - is fear of error part of the linguistics of mathematics? The approaches explored here provide a rationale and a method for exploring and understanding speakers'motives in classroom mathematics talk. Teacher-student interactions in mathematics are analysed, and this provides a toolkit that teachers can use to respond to the intellectual vulnerability of their students. In The Pragmatics of Mathematics Education, Tim Rowland examines students in the process of making and coming-to-know mathematics, focusing on the gap between conjecture and belief, between assertion and conviction Tim Rowland. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web.