Investigando las desigualdades sociales en el aula de matemáticas: logros y expectativas

Researching social inequalities in the Mathematics classroom: Achievements and expectations

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1344/did.2017.1.26-44

Keywords:

Basil Bernstein, social inequalities, interactional patterns, sociology of mathematics instruction

Abstract

During the last 20 years, increasing attention has been placed on social inequalities in mathematics achievement. Micro-sociological perspectives in research on mathematics education point to the particularities of classroom cultures and to the patterns, but also contingencies, prevalent in the construction of meaning in the mathematics classroom. With the aim of generating a sociology of mathematics instruction, the empirical focus of our research is directed at those micro-sociological patterns of classroom interaction that are related to the construction of a hierarchy of achievement in school mathematics. Applying Basil Bernstein’s theoretical framework proves to be useful in exploring these interactional patterns. As we are interested in elaborating on this framework, the purpose of the present paper is twofold: given the results of our empirical study, we will firstly present a list of interactional mechanisms that affect a stratification of students’ achievement in mathematics. Afterwards, we will reflect on the boundaries of Bernstein’s theory that we perceived in our work, opening up desiderata for further theorizing and research. In doing so, we will focus upon corporeality, normativity and pedagogic rights and illustrate their still predominantly neglected impact.

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Published

2021-08-31

Issue

No. 1 (2017)

Section

Monographic section

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Copyright (c) 2017 Nina Bohlmann, Uwe Gellert, Hauke Straehler-Pohl

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