Now They’re Talkin’
A Glimpse into the Case for Conversation in the Mathematics Classroom by Malissa S. Brown

Walk into many elementary mathematics classrooms across South Carolina and you may experience something unexpected.  Long gone are the days of sterile classrooms with rows of desks, worksheets, and silence.  Instead you may experience a colorful setting filled with clusters of desks, children engaged in investigations, and a low buzz of student conversation.  Talking in mathematics class was once considered an indicator of illegal activity-cheating!  So what’s the point of all this talking?

Current brain research indicates that the brain stores information through multiple pathways and memory is reassembled from these various locations.  Research has also indicated that using language-our best form of communication-activates the frontal lobe.  According to the Centre for Neuroskills, this most anterior part of the brain, located right beneath the forehead, is the center of consciousness.  It processes how we assess our environment and how we initiate activity in response to it. Expressive language, word association, and emotional response along with memory for habits and motor activities are controlled here. Jensen’s research from 1998 suggests that emotions play a significant role in our ability to learn.  Experiences that generate emotions bring relevancy and meaning to the learner.  Instructional strategies which illicit an emotional response generate new thought and the motivation to learn. 

Since this part of the brain is responsible for emotional response, and emotional response significantly enhances our ability to learn, it makes sense that we utilize strategies that activate this portion of the brain.  Communication with other people seems to show significance in learning.    One brain researchers summarizes that the brain seems "to love to learn from other people!"  This may sound like a license for lecturing however, auditory processing occurs in another part of the brain.  Learners engaged in both speaking and listening benefit more than those engaged in listening alone.  The act of speaking is what actually activates the center for problem solving, complex thought, and emotion.

Ethnomathematics research also suggests that learners from cultures with a strong oral tradition benefit from engaging in conversation as they learn mathematics.  Data indicates that there is often a link between cultural background and mathematic proficiency.  We often serve sub-groups who have been identified as low achievers in mathematics through remedial programs, suggesting that more instruction will increase achievement. Perhaps we should ponder the notion that utilizing strategies, such as verbal communication, would strengthen the quality of learning experiences for these learners thus maximizing opportunities for success.

New research presents a strong case for conversations in the mathematics classroom.  Verbal communication strategies are being included in curriculum development based on these findings. 

The next time you enter a classroom buzzing with conversation, ENGAGE!  Your brain will thank you for it.