<p>Abstract</p><p>The purpose of this investigation was to understand how teachers/pedagogues nowadays work with mathematics in school. In what way can they pin point the difficulties a pupil with another language might have with mathematics.</p><p>I started the process of this investigation by reading litterature on the subject. Then I did interviews with several teachers and pedagogues teaching in different schools with children at different ages.</p><p>The results found in my investegation pointed to a lack of practical work with mathematics especially in classroom and revealed from the teachers a strong desire to work with mathematics in different ways.</p><p>”Talking maths” with pupils in class will help them understand the subject better. Several teachers are of the opinion that the pupils will reach the goals in school with this method.</p><p>The teachers are also aware of the importance of having practical mathematics. The biggest complaints are not having enough planning-time, being overloaded with administrative work and the difficulties of being alone in class doing practical maths. The common opinion was a desire to work differently, using many different pedagogical methods. This would be easier to do in smaller groups and pupils with another native language would easier get helped to comprehend mathematical text.</p><p>Key words:</p><p>Taking maths, creativeness, text capacity in mathematics, mathematics-outdoors, together</p>

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to understand how teachers/pedagogues nowadays work with mathematics in school. In what way can they pin point the difficulties a pupil with another language might have with mathematics. I started the process of this investigation by reading litterature on the subject. Then I did interviews with several teachers and pedagogues teaching in different schools with children at different ages. The results found in my investegation pointed to a lack of practical work with mathematics especially in classroom and revealed from the teachers a strong desire to work with mathematics in different ways. ”Talking maths” with pupils in class will help them understand the subject better. Several teachers are of the opinion that the pupils will reach the goals in school with this method. The teachers are also aware of the importance of having practical mathematics. The biggest complaints are not having enough planning-time, being overloaded with administrative work and the difficulties of being alone in class doing practical maths. The common opinion was a desire to work differently, using many different pedagogical methods. This would be easier to do in smaller groups and pupils with another native language would easier get helped to comprehend mathematical text. Key words: Taking maths, creativeness, text capacity in mathematics, mathematics-outdoors, together

Syftet med följande arbete är att belysa hur speciallärare ser på samtalets betydelse i matematik med fokus på elever i behov av särskilt stöd. I studien beskriver vi även hur speciallärarna tänker kring hur barn lär matematik och vilka faktorer de ser som viktiga i denna process. Arbetet ger en översikt av tidigare forskning kring vikten av att eleverna ges möjlighet att kommunicera och sätta ord på sina tankar. I litteraturdelen lyfter vi främst forskning som handlar om språkets betydelse för elevens begrepps- och kunskapsutveckling i matematik. Studien tar sin utgångspunkt i den sociokulturella teorin i vilken kunskapsutveckling anses ske i ett socialt sammanhang. Utifrån nio kvalitativa intervjuer med speciallärare i matematik, har vi samlat data till studien med syfte att visa olika nyanser av svar kring samtalets betydelse i matematik. Vi ville också undersöka speciallärarnas medvetenhet kring de kommunikativa kompetensernas innebörd och betydelse för lärandet i matematik och dess effekter i undervisningen. Sammanfattningsvis pekar resultaten av vår undersökning på att speciallärarna i vår studie ser samtalet som en mycket viktig faktor för elevernas lärande i matematik och som en förutsättning för elevens förståelse. När eleverna sätter ord på sina tankar ges de möjlighet att få syn på och strukturera sin kunskap. Vidare anser de att muntlig interaktion, där lärandet sker i ett socialt sammanhang, gynnar begrepps- och kunskapsutvecklingen i matematik.