THE LINGUISTIC CODING OF MATHEMATICAL SUPPORTS

Within the framework of recent research in mathematics education a subject specific performance of children and the learning of mathematics is not only depending on cognitive dispositions, which are mediated by individual performance motivation, but in a large part constructed socially. Mathematical concepts and procedures as well as the description of accepted participation in mathematics thereby are not conveyed explicitly, but transmitted implicitly in terms of so-called "codes", which have a socio-linguistic dimension. In the micro sociological focus of this paper the question should be addressed, to which extent the acquisition of basal mathematical knowledge in early childhood is regulated by the ability to recognize such linguistic codes and their meaning. In that case sequences from mathematical situations with children age 4 are analysed concerning to (subject specific) socio-linguistic theories according from Bernstein (1996) and Carruthers and Worthington (2006). First theoretical considerations and empirical results will be presented.