Recently the prevailing language-as-resource metaphor has been problematised and theorised. Using the philosophical theory of inferentialism, we trace an epistemological dimension of multilingualism in mathematics education and add it to the current language-as-resource discussions. With data from two different settings--a mathematics classroom in…

Researching how mathematical expression varies in different languages requires methodologies which allow investigation of languages on their own terms and the presentation of mathematical data in multiple languages. Perspectives and tools from linguistics can assist in identifying and describing mathematical expression in varied languages,…

Mathematical knowledge in classrooms is mediated through the use of both technical and informal language. This paper is a report of a study of the language use of teachers as they examine students' work and discuss teaching for the topic of fraction operations. This provides a window on their pedagogical content knowledge and also on the way in…

This paper presents a preliminary study of three six year-old children's use of functional language when engaging collaboratively on a mathematics task. The analysis is presented as an illustration of young children's authority and agency in mathematics as evidenced in their discourse. Modality, as a function of language, was seen to indicate…

Syriac translations and Syriac scholars played an important role in the transmission of the sciences, including the mathematical sciences, from the Greek to the Arabic world. Relatively little, unfortunately, remains of the translations and original mathematical works of earlier Syriac scholars, but some materials have survived, and further…

This study examined the theoretical controversy on the impact of syllables and bigrams in handwriting production. French children and adults wrote words on a digitizer so that we could collect data on the local, online processing of handwriting production. The words differed in the position of the lowest frequency bigram. In one condition, it…

This article examines the topicality of Library and Information Science (LIS) dissertations written between 1930 and 2009 at schools with American Library Association (ALA)--accredited university programs in North America. Dissertation titles and abstracts were examined for the presence of library-related keywords drawn from the core curricula of…

Accurate teacher evaluations of student performance are crucial for effective teaching. This study examined whether students' immigration and language background affect teachers' evaluations. Multilevel analyses tested whether teachers overestimate the performance of immigrant relative to that of non-immigrant students. As part of the German PISA…

This study examined whether singular/plural marking in a language helps children learn the meanings of the words "one," "two," and "three." First, CHILDES data in English, Russian (which marks singular/plural), and Japanese (which does not) were compared for frequency, variability, and contexts of number-word use.…

Discusses linguistic influence on children's numerical development. Describes and reviews recent papers that address the relationship between number naming systems and children's numerical concepts. (Contains 20 references.) (ASK)

Describes theoretical points concerning the idea of semiotic means of objectification. Analyzes classroom activity by observing the interface between the spoken and the seen. Discusses the role of a category of linguistic terms related to actions of showing or pointing out something that constitute a key element in the mathematical discursive…

Offers insight as to why children switch back to their mother tongue in mathematics classes. Discusses implications for teachers of mathematics in such settings. (Author/CCM)

Described are the methodology of MUT (Mathematical Understanding of Taiwan Students) program and CSMS (Concepts in Secondary Mathematics and Science) program. This study compared languages, learning motivations, and teaching methods in Taiwan and England using the two programs. Some implications for mathematics education are discussed. (YP)

Mathematics is a central part of school curricula around the world. There has been much interest in linguistic aspects of the teaching and learning of mathematics, both from mathematics educators and from applied linguists. This short paper introduces a set of five articles exploring the intersection between these two communities. The articles all…

Explores policy, practice, and research issues related to teaching and learning mathematics in multilingual classrooms in South Africa. Focuses on code-switching in multilingual mathematics classrooms. Points to the significance of language as power in mathematics education settings. Demonstrates the need for researching the relationship between…