The role of student discourse in the mathematics achievement of African American male high school students

This qualitative research study examined mathematics achievement among five African American male, high school students. Classroom observations and interviews with student participants provided data on students' discourse and perceptions of their learning experiences in the mathematics classroom context. Research findings inform pedagogical considerations in improving the mathematics achievement of African American male students. Research was conceptually grounded in Vygotskian theory, social constructivism, and culturally relevant mathematics pedagogy.;Findings indicated that student discourse as outlined in the Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics (NCTM, 1991) played varying roles in the mathematics achievement outcomes of the participants. Although all the participants had passed the state-mandated proficiency test in mathematics, three of the participants were considered high-achieving students based on above average course grade performance. Two of these students identified their mathematical discourse, in and out of the classroom, as a significant component of their academic mathematics success. They exhibited high levels of accuracy and participation in oral classroom discourse. For the third high-achieving participant, student discourse was not a significant factor to his mathematics achievement. Relative to the other participants, he exhibited the least amount of participation in classroom discourse.;The two remaining participants were considered low-achieving students due to failing school mathematics performance. They exhibited above average levels of accuracy and participation in oral classroom discourse; yet, they were failing in performance on written evaluation assessment. For one of these students, his failure was a recent decline in what had been above average school mathematics performance. These findings implied the complexity of factors that effect the mathematics achievement of African American male students.;All of the participants perceived themselves responsible for their own mathematics learning. They perceived group work as beneficial to promoting communication and thereby increasing their understanding. They viewed inquiries for understanding as the most appropriate form of student discourse in class, whether teacher-student discourse or student-student discourse. They stated that explaining solutions to fellow classmates improved their own understanding of mathematics concepts. Findings informed pedagogy in three areas of consideration, classroom environment, curriculum, and influential factors that students bring to the classroom from outside the school context.