Language and Communication

One goal of mathematics education is for students to develop the ability to communicate using the forms of language and forms of representations that are typical for mathematics. Aspects of language are thus important parts of mathematics. However, sometimes there is a wish to separate language from mathematics, e.g. when constructing mathematical test items and wanting them not to measure reading ability but mathematical ability. Therefore, there is a need to investigate more thoroughly properties and functions of language in relation to mathematical content and to knowledge and learning of mathematics.

Examples of issues studied in this research group are if you need a special type of reading ability when you read a mathematical text, the relationship between reading and solving mathematical tasks, how you can utilise students' language use to diagnose their mathematical knowledge, how teachers' language use can affect students' understanding, and how you can formulate mathematical tasks with high validity.