Pragma-dialectics as a theoretical approach to argumentation in mathematics education

Abstract

The practice of argumentation plays an extremely important role in countless contexts in the life of every individual, whether at work or in everyday life. Its importance is reflected in the educational field through the reference frameworks of international surveys and the guidelines of various countries, which highlight it as a tool to support learning and as a core skill in the education of every future citizen of a complex democratic society. This article proposes pragma-dialectical theory as an approach to argumentation in mathematics education, highlighting how this perspective is in line with national and international guidelines. Based on this theoretical approach, five essential analytical elements for pragma-dialectical argumentation are defined: verbalisation, awareness of reasons, dialogue, difference of opinion, and incentive for argumentation. Through these elements, some examples of argumentative tasks are analysed, highlighting how school practice sometimes considers as argumentative also teaching activities that exclude elements related to the pragmatic and social dimensions of argumentation emphasised by pragma-dialectical theory, which should instead be considered from an educational perspective.