%0 Journal Article %1 alshwaikhjehad2008 %A Alshwaikh, Jehad %B 1 %C Routledge %D 2008 %J Research in Mathematics Education %K diagrams gesture graphs learning multimodal multisemiotic narrative representation semiotics social visual %P 87 - 88 %T Towards a systemic functional analysis of mathematical visual forms %U http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/14794800801916770 %V 10 %X Mathematics is a multimodal/multisemiotic discourse (O’Halloran 2005) where three semiotic systems, at least, are used: verbal language, algebraic notations, and visual forms. A general overview of the status of visual representations (diagrams, graphs, shapes, etc.) in mathematical texts indicates that the role of these representations is ‘‘ignored’’ by the mathematical community which considers them to be limited in representing knowledge (O’Halloran 2005) and of an ‘‘informal and personal nature’’ (Misfeldt 2007). At best, mathematicians conceive these representations have messages that students need to discover (Shuard and Rothery 1984). In this study visual representations as resources available for meaning-making are considered. Halliday (1985) develops a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) framework and argues that any text fulfils three meanings: ideational (represent the world), interpersonal (create social relations), and textual (coherence). Morgan (2006) develops a linguistic approach by adopting SFL for analysing written mathematical texts. Furthermore, SFL has been extended to include non-verbal modes. Kress and van Leeuwen (2006), for example, develop a grammar to ‘‘read’’ images. Following these efforts this study intends to investigate what meanings visual representations offer in mathematical texts. The plan is to develop a descriptive framework to analyse students’ communication (13
14 years old) during solving geometrical problems and what meanings students construct when they use diagrams/shapes. This framework is informed basically by Morgan’s linguistic approach (2006), Kress and van Leeuwen multimodality approach (2006), O’Halloran (2005) framework and the commognition approach (Sfard 2008). A first draft of this approach has been developed that still needs more thinking and developing.

@article{alshwaikhjehad2008, abstract = {Mathematics is a multimodal/multisemiotic discourse (O’Halloran 2005) where three semiotic systems, at least, are used: verbal language, algebraic notations, and visual forms. A general overview of the status of visual representations (diagrams, graphs, shapes, etc.) in mathematical texts indicates that the role of these representations is ‘‘ignored’’ by the mathematical community which considers them to be limited in representing knowledge (O’Halloran 2005) and of an ‘‘informal and personal nature’’ (Misfeldt 2007). At best, mathematicians conceive these representations have messages that students need to discover (Shuard and Rothery 1984). In this study visual representations as resources available for meaning-making are considered. Halliday (1985) develops a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) framework and argues that any text fulfils three meanings: ideational (represent the world), interpersonal (create social relations), and textual (coherence). Morgan (2006) develops a linguistic approach by adopting SFL for analysing written mathematical texts. Furthermore, SFL has been extended to include non-verbal modes. Kress and van Leeuwen (2006), for example, develop a grammar to ‘‘read’’ images. Following these efforts this study intends to investigate what meanings visual representations offer in mathematical texts. The plan is to develop a descriptive framework to analyse students’ communication (13
14 years old) during solving geometrical problems and what meanings students construct when they use diagrams/shapes. This framework is informed basically by Morgan’s linguistic approach (2006), Kress and van Leeuwen multimodality approach (2006), O’Halloran (2005) framework and the commognition approach (Sfard 2008). A first draft of this approach has been developed that still needs more thinking and developing.}, added-at = {2008-10-04T12:38:01.000+0200}, address = {Routledge}, author = {Alshwaikh, Jehad}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2d5ff723932efbf872c992f74509e9842/yish}, interhash = {3e881eff1d5e505e07674855161baba2}, intrahash = {d5ff723932efbf872c992f74509e9842}, issn = {1479-4802}, journal = {Research in Mathematics Education}, keywords = {diagrams gesture graphs learning multimodal multisemiotic narrative representation semiotics social visual}, pages = {87 - 88}, series = 1, timestamp = {2008-10-04T12:38:01.000+0200}, title = {Towards a systemic functional analysis of mathematical visual forms}, url = {http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/14794800801916770}, volume = 10, year = 2008 }