Respecting Cultural Diversity in Mathematics Classes

We live in intercultural societies and schools. In schools there are pupils with distinct mother languages (L1) that shape their mathematical performances (César, 2024b; César & Machado, 2024, submitted). Pupils whose L1 is ideographic, like Creole (Cape Verde), usually prefer global approaches to problem solving, spatial or geometrical reasoning, and graphic representations as solving strategies. Those whose L1 is phonetic, like Portuguese, usually prefer step-by-step approaches to problem solving, analytical reasoning, and arithmetic or algebraic solving strategies, the ones most teachers value more. The rejection of their natural approaches, reasoning, and solving strategies makes pupils who participate in Cape Verde culture lose their voice, underachieving in their mathematical performances (César, 2009, 2013a, 2024a, 2024b; César & Machado, 2024, submitted). The Interaction and Knowledge (IK) project lasted 12 years and involved around 600 classes, taught by 69 Mathematics teacher/researchers who participated in the IK team. The IK used collaborative and dialogical work, implicit messages, inter- and intra-empowerment mechanisms (César, 2009, 2024b), and bi-univocal cultural mediation (César, 2017) as tools to give pupils a voice and to increase their mathematical performances, contributing to an intercultural and inclusive education. We focus on data from the action-research projects (Hamido & César, 2009) and we assume an interpretative paradigm (Denzin, 2002). Data treatment and analysis was based on a narrative analysis (Clandinin & Conelly, 1998). The analysis of some examples of answers given to an instrument to evaluate pupils’ abilities and competencies (IACC), elaborated by the IK team, as well as the performances regarding some tasks used in class, illuminate how important it is that Mathematics teachers respect pupils’ approaches, reasoning, and solving strategies. This is an essential feature to empower them, to promote equity and social justice, thus contributing to an intercultural and inclusive education. Keywords: Mother language (L1), Mathematics learning, inter- and intra-empowerment mechanisms, life trajectories of participation, bi-univocal cultural mediation