Abstract

In the context of refinement of frameworks over the past decades within the domain of mathematics education research on language, the development of more nuanced theories is a challenge. In this issue of ZDM, a number of researchers present their work of exploration and elaboration of theories for the study and understanding of language in mathematics education. Since various relevant frameworks are present in the collection of papers, we use them to consider and evaluate the existing ontology. We aim to answer the following questions: What theories and concepts are visible in the papers? What are the works of some of the authors and terms that seem to be interpreted differently? What does this complexity imply for research in mathematics education? From the answers to these questions, we conclude that the domain can be characterised by its complexity, diversity, and contention. All three phenomena together seem to have the potential to be a strength for the progress of the domain.

Highlights

  • Language and language processes are researched in various scientific fields such as linguistics, psychology, sociology, semiology, anthropology, philosophy and cognitive sciences

  • Chronaki and Planas focus on “the discourses on language and on language diversity” in mathematics education research and their circulation in the academia. They present a Foucauldian type of discourse analysis of what other mathematics education researchers say and write about language and language diversity in order to interrogate remedying discourses based on ideas of ownership encoding dichotomies of high/ low language proficiency/deficiency

  • With the aid of guiding questions, the study of the papers in this issue of ZDM has provided an overview of the diversity and complexity of theories and concepts of today’s mathematics education research on language, as well as an evaluation of the contention of fundamental authors’ work and common terms

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Summary

Introduction

Language and language processes are researched in various scientific fields such as linguistics, psychology, sociology, semiology, anthropology, philosophy and cognitive sciences. It is common that researchers appeal to the same terms but use them in different ways To address this different usage, brief evaluations are provided to review theoretical similarities and differences among the papers in this issue that we situate in the same group, as well as among groups. In this issue of ZDM, ontology in the singular stands for the entire set of theories and concepts whose being and existence are a focus of mathematics education researchers across the world in their study of language. Even if researchers do not discuss theories and concepts in ontological terms, they all form the conceptual basis for identifying, organising and evaluating research in the domain. We come back to this point later to argue that the domain would benefit from reflecting on what the existence of diverse theories and concepts (Sect. 3) as well as contended authors and terms (Sect. 4) may imply for research in mathematics education

What theories and concepts are visible in this issue of ZDM?
The politics of language and language diversity
Modes of communication and representation in language
The interactionist dimension of language in classroom discussion
Differing interpretations of the writings of fundamental authors
Differing interpretations of common terms
Conclusion
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