Mathematical conversations in schools with different socioeconomic circumstances

The study examines mathematical conversations in relation to middle school students' understanding of mathematics in schools with different socio-economic backgrounds. It explores whether students have equal opportunities to understand mathematics despite their socio-economic conditions and which aspects of conversations that influence their learning. The study seeks to answer the following questions; How do socioeconomic conditions affect students' mathematical conversations? What impact does conversation structure and content have on middle school students' mathematics understanding? The study uses discourse theory, which examines language and communication in a social contexts. Combined with a thematic analysis that examines patterns, the study analyzes mathematical conversations using qualitative observations and "stimulated recall interviews" at two schools with different socio-economic statuses (SES) in the south of Sweden. This is then further investigated using a discourse analysis. It finds that pupils at a school with a high SES used a coherent and logical mathematical language, enhancing their reasoning and understanding through more structured communication. In contrast, pupils at a school with a low SES displayed fragmented and informal language, affecting their mathematical reasoning. The results indicate that socio-economic factors might influence students' communication and reasoning in mathematics, with students from higher socio-economic backgrounds showing a deeper understanding of the subject. The study concludes that linguistic and communicative resources are crucial for mathematical understanding and that socio-economic disparities might create unequal educational opportunities. This is discussed from the perspective of how, in this study, socio-economic backgrounds impact pupils' mathematical conversations, and their understanding of math. Differences like engagement, structure and reflective discussions are identified. The study and its results are relevant for future teachers, highlighting the need for inclusive teaching practices. Future studies could explore teachers' roles in fostering equitable mathematical discussions.