The Answer Is Only the Beginning: Extended Discourse in Chinese and U.S. Mathematics Classrooms

The authors investigated the use of a particular discourse practice--continued questioning and discussion after a correct answer was provided, which they called extended discourse--and examined the frequency and content of this practice in 17 Chinese and 14 U.S. elementary mathematics classes. They found that the Chinese classrooms had more, and spent more time in, extended discourse than did the U.S. classrooms. The content of these episodes differed: The Chinese classrooms focused more on rules and procedures than did the U.S. classrooms, whereas the U.S. classrooms focused more on computation than did the Chinese classrooms. These findings shed light on interesting practices of discourse in both countries and also have implications for current U.S. reforms in mathematics pedagogy.