Studying the mathematics curriculum and school mathematics texts enables us to examine their influence on students’ learning of mathematics. Using the “social semiotics methodology” that utilizes linguistic tools (Halliday, 1985; Morgan, 1998) enables examining the influence of mathematical texts from different perspectives; social and cognitive. At the same time, it becomes possible also to examine the role of the reader of the mathematical text (student) during the learning process. The present study made use of the social semiotics methodology to analyze the Algebra unit in the Palestinian mathematics book aimed at Grade 7. This methodology analyzes three important functions of the text: the cognitive function, the interpersonal function and the textual function. The research findings indicate that mathematics of the studied unit is considered as “already available” and can be discovered later by mathematicians or students of mathematics. Meanwhile, the other image of Algebra mathematics unit consists of relations that can be constructed by the learner. On the other hand, the rate of rules or algebraic requirements was higher than other types of mathematics, whether it be basic or derived. Furthermore, the Algebraic representation is the most used representation along the unit, compared to other representations. The current study therefore recommends the use of all other different representations in the Palestinian mathematics book, even in the Algebra unit in which the Algebraic representation is expected to be higher than other representations. Regarding the interpersonal relations between the author and the reader, there was a serious attempt of the author to put the reader in the center of the mathematical event, and simultaneously, make the relationship between the author and the reader a closer one. Sometimes, the author attempted to work with the reader in harmony as if they were one person. Regarding the advancement in the text of the Algebra unit of the Palestinian mathematics book for Grade 7, the research results indicated that the author did not give a special satisfactory attention for the advancement from the initial -to the new knowledge; neither did he provide justifications. This leads us to the conclusion that the Palestinian Ministry of Education should consider more relating to these two aspects in the mathematics books at all levels, starting from the early stages.

Title

جامعة

Publisher

أكاديمية القاسمي

Publisher Country

Palestine

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

19

Year

2016

Pages

121-146