The role of mathematical communication in maintaining the cognitive demand in primary school mathematics lessons: A case study

Mathematics curricula emphasize importance of learning mathematics in a meaningful way and acquiring high-level skills. However, learning opportunities provided to students by mathematical tasks implemented in classroom settings can differ. Regarding this difference in learning opportunities, the concept of cognitive demand defines the degree of thinking, reasoning and problem solving opportunities offered to students through a mathematical task. Cognitive demand concept focuses also to the classroom implementation by pointing out that the cognitive demand of a mathematical task can change over a class period in set-up and implementation phases. According to literature, scaffolding, encouraging students to give explanations, justify, question and make comments, etc. are factors associated with the change in cognitive demand. These factors are also strongly related to in-class mathematical communication. Therefore, cognitive demand of mathematical tasks can be affected from the way teachers present the task, the way they give guidance and the environment they create for mathematical discussions. Regarding this relationship between cognitive demand and mathematical communication pointed out in the literature, the study aims to increase the awareness of teachers about these concepts and determine the reflections of this awareness in their implementations of mathematical tasks. The study employed instrumental case study design. Participants were two 4th grade teachers and their 37 students attending to a private school in İstanbul. Data collected through classroom observations, pre-and post-implementation interviews with the teachers and focus group interviews with the students, were analyzed through content analysis. Results indicated that, although teachers developed some degree of awareness about the concepts of cognitive demand and mathematical communication, they face difficulties in selecting and implementing mathematical tasks having high cognitive demand. Detailed analyses of mathematical tasks also pointed out that cognitive demand and mathematical communication should be considered together for an effective implementation of highly demanding mathematical task.