ERIC Number: EJ892702
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1074-9039
EISSN: N/A
Talking while Computing in Groups: The Not-so-Private Functions of Computational Private Speech in Mathematical Discussions
Zahner, William; Moschkovich, Judit
Mind, Culture, and Activity, v17 n3 p265-283 2010
Students often voice computations during group discussions of mathematics problems. Yet, this type of private speech has received little attention from mathematics educators or researchers. In this article, we use excerpts from middle school students' group mathematical discussions to illustrate and describe "computational private speech." We analyze four examples of computational private speech using lenses from neo-Vygotskian psychology, sociolinguistics, and distributed cognition. Our analyses of computational private speech challenge the individualistic developmental assumptions of some neo-Vygotskian theories of private speech, and we show how this form of private speech can serve socio-cognitive functions during group mathematical discussions. (Contains 6 figures, 5 excerpts, and 1 footnote.)
Descriptors: Inner Speech (Subvocal), Sociolinguistics, Computation, Middle Schools, Group Discussion, Mathematics Instruction, Problem Solving, Psychology, Schemata (Cognition), Evaluation Methods, Grade 6, Grade 8, Elementary Secondary Education, Bilingual Education
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education; Grade 6; Grade 8; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A