ABSTRACT
Discussion and communication are increasingly being recognised as important in teaching and learning mathematics. There is an intimate and complex relationship between thought and language. Pupils learn using a variety of ways of communicating in mathematics classrooms, through talk, images and writing, and they are also assessed by way of each of these different types of communication. There are many approaches that can create an environment in which pupils are happy to share, discuss and debate ideas. One of the key features of such an environment is that show the pupils that are genuinely listening to their contributions. Communicating mathematically includes writing mathematically. Pupils often find writing mathematics and writing about mathematics difficult. Most of the written mathematics that pupils experience involves copying down questions and completing answers in a set pattern.
