Combining enactivism and systemic functional linguistics: a methodology for examining (mathematics teacher educator) language

Abstract

As mathematics teacher educators (MTEs), we are motivated by the lack of research concerning the language that MTEs use in initial teacher education settings. In this paper, we turn our attention towards developing a methodological approach to studying the language-in-use during teacher education situations, with a specific focus on the language of the MTE in the form of a monologue. The methodological approach that we present draws upon two theoretical perspectives, specifically, the situated cognition theory of enactivism and the social semiotic perspective of systemic functional linguistics (SFL). To develop this methodology, we explore both of these theoretical perspectives, focussing on their respective conceptualisations of language, from which we derive a set of methodological principles and practices. A significant feature of the methodology presented in this paper, is that it takes into account the researchers’ relationships with the subject of research. Thus we propose this methodology as being of particular significance to practitioner–researchers studying the language of other practitioners within the same field (e.g. MTEs studying the language of other MTEs), as well as to the study of one’s own use of language in mathematics education settings. From our methodological perspective we explore the meaning of quality research, proposing relevant criteria. We exemplify the methodological principles and practices by analysing a transcript of a mathematics teacher education lecture for prospective primary teachers in Sweden.