Young students’ views on mathematical tasks

An analysis of speech functions used in measurement tasks posed by students

Abstract

In this study, the views of six-year-old students on mathematical tasks are explored through the practice of problem posing. Framed within an educational design research approach and grounded in Systemic Functional Linguistics, 55 tasks posed by students were analysed. The posed tasks consisted of both wording and drawings, and the analysis focused on identifying speech functions: statement, question, offer, and command. Although questions were expected to dominate, the findings show that command was the most frequently employed speech function. This indicates that students often view mathematical tasks as directives for action rather than as inquiries or questions to be explored. Furthermore, tools were provided (offer) to the task solver, highlighting the significance of multimodal communication in early mathematics education. The findings contribute knowledge about young students’ views on mathematical tasks, views that may influence how problem solving and problem posing are emphasised in early mathematics education.