Displaying Mathematical Literacy – Pupils’ Talk about Mathematical Activities

Abstract

The aim of the study was to exemplify pupils’ mastering of mathematical literacy. The study is a comparative multiple case study. In pupils’ talk of mathematical activities aspects of mathematical literacy are discerned. A distinction is made between pupils: (1) pupils in mathematical difficulties, (2) pupils with another mother tongue than Swedish or (3) pupils without mathematical difficulties. The study was performed as a comparative multiple case study. The “cases” were constituted by the three groups of pupils, and these were compared. Seventy-two pupils in grade 5 in six different primary schools in Sweden participated: twenty-four pupils in mathematical difficulties (twelve girls and twelve boys), twenty-four pupils with another native language than Swedish (twelve girls and twelve boys) and twenty-four pupils without mathematical difficulties (twelve girls and twelve boys). After each of the performed lessons in which the activities were carried out the pupils were interviewed (groupwise in the above defined groups) about their experience of the activities. In the analysis of the results three ideal types were described, one for each group of pupils. The ideal types were discussed with relation to mathematical literacy.