The participation structures of the classroom microculture in a mathematics lesson

Abstract

On the basis of the conceptual framework of situated learning, the article presents a detailed study of a fourth-grade mathematics lesson, which is structured by various forms of social organization. The purpose is to elucidate the community dimension of the classroom based on the analysis of interpersonal processes, among the pupils and with the teacher, by examining the co-elaboration of the mathematical interpretation and reasoning regarding a multiplication problem. The results of the study show that a given norm representative of the participation structures valued in the classroom microculture appears to structure didactic interactions during both the collective interaction and the small group work. In addition, the manifestations of this norm in contrasted forms of co-elaboration among pupils are identified.