Argumentative orchestration in the mathematical modelling cycle in the classroom

Abstract

Given the importance of modelling in mathematics classrooms, and despite the extensive body of research on teacher support for promoting the mathematical modelling cycle in the classroom, authors have overlooked how teacher support for argumentation can contribute to this cycle. This study is aimed at characterizing teacher support for argumentation in the mathematical modelling cycle in the classroom. We analyzed 10 class episodes taken from the cases of two teachers, Soledad and Ángeles. The episodes were analyzed considering teacher support for argumentative orchestration (communicative strategies and pattern recognition). In the two cases studied, we found that argumentative orchestration exhibited different types of overall presence and recurrence throughout the stages of the mathematical modelling cycle, with communicative strategies being more present across the board and more recurrent in the mathematical modelling cycle than pattern recognition strategies.