Argumentation and participation in the primary mathematics classroom: Two episodes and related theoretical abductions

The main assumption of this article is that learning mathematics depends on the student's participation in processes of collective argumentation. On the empirical level, such processes will be analyzed with Toulmin's theory of argumentation and Goffman's idea of decomposition of the speaker's role. On the theoretical level, different statuses of participation in processes of argumentation will be considered. By means of the method of comparative analysis, different grades of autonomy according to the interactional contribution of a student can be reconstructed. The paper finishes with remarks about consequences for improving mathematics teaching in schools and mathematics teacher education at university level.