Linguistic markers to improve the assessment of students in mathematics: An exploratory study

Abstract

We describe an exploratory empirical study to investigate whether some linguistic markers can improve the assessment of students when they answer questions in their own words. This work is part of a multidisciplinary project, the Pépite project, that aims to give math teachers software support to assess their students in elementary algebra. We first set this study within the context of the project and we compare it with related work. Then we present our methodology, the data analysis and how we have linked linguistic markers to discursive modes and then these discursive modes to levels of development in algebra thinking. The conclusion opens onto promising perspectives. © Springer-Verlag 2004.