ABSTRACT
Most of the tasks involved in the teaching and learning of mathematics involve some form of communication: between teacher and pupil(s), between pupils, between pupil and text, between pupil and computer. There is oral communication (speaking and listening) and written communication (reading and writing). Much the same might be said of teaching and learning in many other subject areas, but there are special features of mathematics classrooms and mathematical language that make communication a particularly significant issue for mathematics teachers. While all teachers have responsibility for enhancing pupils’ general use of spoken and written language, as a mathematics teacher you have a particular responsibility to help pupils to learn to speak and write mathematically.
