Exploratory study with preservice primary teachers on mathematical languages for teaching the relationship between area and volume

Abstract

In this article, we report an exploratory study about the knowledge of mathematics education subject content in a setting of education preservice training; within our sociocultural positioning, we focus on the mediating role of mathematical languages used in instruction and curricular material, and choose content relative to mathematically-relevant languages for the teaching and learning of the relationship between area and volume. Based on responses from a questionnaire, we first examine what primary school student teachers know or anticipate of the function of language when teaching and learning the specific mathematical content. We then amplify the analysis by means of selective interviews guided by responses to the questionnaire. Our results show student teachers with weak understanding of contents of the subject to be taught -concepts of area and volume- while becoming initiated in the construction of contents on how to teach the subject -mathematical languages for teaching the area-volume relationship.