Moving from informal to formal mathematical language in Maltese classrooms

Abstract

In Malta, mathematics is often taught through code-switching between Maltese and English, mainly due to the use of textbooks published in the UK. The mixing of the languages has been a source of discussion for several years, with some educators accepting the mixed pattern, and others arguing in favour of using English alone. Furthermore, the possibility of using Maltese itself as the language for mathematics has also been mentioned, for both spoken and written modes. In this article, I discuss a potentially standardised Maltese mathematics register and reflect on the choice of the classroom language in terms of the implications of the choice on the use and development of ‘mathematical language’. I illustrate various routes how one might move from informal to formal language, depending on which language/s is or are being used in the classroom. I hence invite educators to consider the language debate not only in terms of medium of instruction issues, but also in terms of the implications on the use and development of mathematical language.