Barbara Allen

Mathematical subjects: children talk about their mathematics lives

The main question explored in this book is: How are children made as mathematical subjects in their learning of mathematics. In order to answer the question, Walls has collected data from 10 children in a longitudinal study, mainly in New Zealand. The 10 children were from different primary schools and attended different secondary schools. Seven of the children were educated entirely in New Zealand. We first meet the children when they are seven years old, and the last information is when they are 18 years old. This, then, is an extended longitudinal study, and the author is to be commended for collecting the data from the pupils in their final years of schooling, especially as some had re-located to other countries. The book is organised in four sections: