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Heteroglossia in Multilingual Mathematics Classrooms

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Towards Equity in Mathematics Education

Part of the book series: Advances in Mathematics Education ((AME))

Abstract

What does linguistic or cultural diversity look like in a mathematics classroom? How does such diversity influence the teaching or learning of mathematics? In this chapter, I address these and related questions. Specifically, I draw on Bakhtin’s notion of heteroglossia to analyse the literature on teaching and learning mathematics in linguistically diverse classrooms. Based on this analysis, I describe and discuss four tensions that arise in linguistically diverse mathematics classrooms: tensions between school and home languages; between formal and informal language in mathematics; between language policy and mathematics classroom practice; and between a language for learning mathematics and a language for getting on in the world. These tensions can all be traced to an underlying tension between what Bakhtin calls centripetal and centrifugal forces in language. I conclude by considering some of the implications of my analysis for equity in mathematics teaching.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

    Richard Barwell

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  1. Richard Barwell
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Correspondence to Richard Barwell .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Education, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia

    Helen Forgasz

  2. Dept. Mathematics, San Jose State University, Washington Square 1, San Jose, 95192, California, USA

    Ferdinand Rivera

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Barwell, R. (2012). Heteroglossia in Multilingual Mathematics Classrooms. In: Forgasz, H., Rivera, F. (eds) Towards Equity in Mathematics Education. Advances in Mathematics Education. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27702-3_28

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