Intersecting Language Repertoires When 4-Year-Olds Count

Abstract

In this chapter, we consider an interaction among a researcher and four 4-year-old boys who were asked to count beans. By recognizing multiple discourses at play, we problematize the identification of this (and other) interaction as a mathematical (or counting) situation. We identify aspects of the children’s language repertoires and consider how they index various discourses and authority structures. We ask how these discourses intersect in the interaction, and then identify potential implications for education practice and research.