Writing Mathematically

School mathematics curricula internationally tend to emphasise problem-solving and have led to the development of opportunities for children to do maths in a more open, creative way. This has led to increased interest in 'performance-based' assessment, which involves children in substantial production of written language to serve as 'evidence' of their mathematical activity and achievement. However, this raises two important questions. Firstly, does this writing accurately present children's mathematical activity and ability? Secondly, do maths teachers have sufficient linguistic awareness to support their students in developing skills and knowledge necessary for writing effectively in their subject area? The author of this book takes a critical perspective on these questions and, through an investigation of teachers' readings and evaluations of coursework texts, identifies the crucial issues affecting the accurate assessment of school mathematics. 1 Introduction 2 ‘The Language of Mathematics’ —Characteristics of Written Mathematical Texts 3 Writing in the Mathematics Classroom 4 Learning to Write Mathematically 5 The Public Discourse of ‘Investigation’ 6 A Critical Linguistic Approach to Mathematical Text 7 Reading Investigative Mathematical Texts 8 The Assessment of Investigations and Teacher Assessment 9 Investigating Teachers Reading Coursework 10 Teachers’ Responses to Student Writing 11 Assessing Difference: ‘Creativity’ and Error 12 Towards a Critically Aware Mathematical Writing Curriculum