The Future of Education

The importance of engaging pupils in meaningful mathematical discussion has long been identified as an essential component of pupils’ mathematics learning (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2014). According to Ginsburg (2009a), talking about mathematical thinking and engaging in reasoning, justifying and argumentation are central to mathematics education for all children. Maths Talk is one of the five key pedagogical practices outlined in the new Primary Maths Curriculum in Ireland. This paper explores how teachers facilitate purposeful talk in classrooms and how their questioning, wait time, and framing of contributions influence the mathematical quality of dialogue. The paper highlights promising shifts in teacher practices but also identifies enduring challenges, such as managing competing discourses of correctness and efficiency. This paper will be of interest to researchers, teacher educators, and policymakers concerned with curriculum implementation, pedagogical reform, and the professional learning required to support meaningful and sustained change.