This is an empirical study of how the mathematical talk of adult learners constructs/reconstructs different mathematical discourses. The study is to be regarded as an attempt to develop a discursive approach within the field of mathematics education and to complicate the status of mathematics in education and in society in general. My theoretical underpinnings consist of three possible mathematical discourses ? coercive, regulative and emancipative mathematics. From a discursive psychology perspective, I let these discourses function as analytical interpretive repertoires in relation to the adult learners? rhetorical use of mathematics and their claiming of mathematical subject-positions, named the coerced, the self-regulating and the responsible mathematician.

The purpose of my study is to investigate teachers? opinions about learning difficulties in mathematics.I have read relevant literature on this subject. I have conducted interviews with seven class teachers, one special-needs teacher, a psychologist and one special-needs teachers who specifically worked with investigations concerning pupils with difficulties in mathematics.The result of my study shows that learning difficulties in mathematics can/might be prevented if children in pre-school are introduced to mathematics as early as possible. This should be done in a delightful way in their daily activities and while there are playing. I didn?t find any complete method to help children with mathematics difficulties in compulsory school.

 In today?s society teachers will face students of foreign origin. It is up to the teachers to help these students gain the knowledge they need to flourish in society. Despite the fact that mathematics is a universal topic with high status in many countries, studies have shown that mathematics is a subject where a large proportion of foreign students fails. The purpose of this study was to see wherein the problem lies and describe teachers' perceptions of the barriers and the opportunities in mathematics for students with Swedish as a second language.

The background to the study was that the school agency published a report stating that students, after completing school, did not meet the criteria to receive the grade ?Pass? in mathematics. The study presents the reasoning of work teams from five different preschool departments?, about ways to work with the subject with children in the ages four to five. The study may help future teachers to develop new attitudes regarding mathematics in the preschool, by letting them take part of others pedagogues? thoughts and experiences.

The purpose behind this work was to investigate whether I could from a practical approach to create desire for mathematics among students in primary schools. I wanted also to find out how students feel about their current mathematics teaching. By introducing an equation game, and interviewing students to find out their perception of their mathematics teaching, I was able to answer my questions. What I came to was that through a practical and laboratory work, I could create an enjoyable educational opportunity in mathematics. Then during the interviews I also learned that students had not a pre-determined negative attitude towards mathematics.

The aim with this study is to illustrate the underlying causes of students? difficulties in Mathematics from a teacher perspective. The approach that has been used through this study is qualitative, method wise interviews were used. The selection for the study consists of five teachers with many years? experience in the subject of Mathematics.

In Adult Education-Restaurant students often have a negative attitude towards the subject of math. Often mathematics is associated with what experiences the students had of this subject in elementary school - experiences that many times reduce the motivation for the same that is so frequent in the catering industry, in different contexts. Mathematics more or less unconsciously permeates restaurant profession at large, and as a chef you must realize the importance of mathematics in your daily work in the kitchen. The purpose of the work is to develop the mathematics lesson weight and volume by planning and designing more stimulating lessons accommodated in the kitchen - combining calculation problems with the work in a real kitchen environment. The aim is to help increase the students? motivation for and understanding of the importance of mathematics in the kitchen work. An action-oriented research method was used where students in a survey were asked to answer questions about their previous experiences with mathematics and how they themselves thought that motivating lessons on mathematics in cooking should be designed. The survey revealed that the majority of the students thought that the mathematics lessons weight and volume preferably should take place in the kitchen.

Swedish students' knowledge of mathematics has deteriorated in recent years. Teaching of mathematics is therefore starting point in an ongoing discussion among researchers, school leaders, politicians, teachers and others, who all thinks they know best about how teaching should be designed to the greatest extent possible to raise students' proficiency levels in the subject. Teachers' practices have long been the focus of discussions and views on these differ. The purpose of this paper is therefore to study students 'conceptions of mathematics and mathematics teaching, with teachers' methods and tools of focus, in relation to previous research on the subject. The method used was a survey of students in secondary school and a textual analysis of previous studies on the subject.As revealed by the survey was that the textbook has a big advantage in mathematics education in Sweden today.Many students are not accustomed to working in a different way and thereforedoes not know either what the alternative approach entails.

This study aims to highlight and analyze eight secondary teachers' views and thoughts on mathematics. Hopefully this study will provide a deeper understanding of how teachers think and reason about their subject and how this affects their teaching. The study was conducted using a qualitative interview method, based on interviews with eight middle school teachers who teach in school mathematics for grades 6 - 9. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed and analyzed. After the interview analysis one can conclude that the teachers? thoughts concern three main themes: the importance of mathematics, children?s lack of basic knowledge and the teachers? lack of time.In discussion and analysis the teachers conceptions of the own subject is being analyzed, and that is the foundation of this study.

During my practical training period I observed that many of the students have a negative attitude against mathematics. I also observed that these students have a difficulty reaching the goals in the subject. In my opinion there are different factors that can be the reason to why these students experiences mathematics as a difficult subject in school. This is the reason why I wanted to find out which factors that lies behind the difficulties and how the pedagogues work to support these students. It is also significant that every single student get their rights to develop a positive attitude against mathematics and that the pedagogue supports the students in their development.The point with this degree project is to find out, with the help of three pedagogues, which factors that could lead to difficulties in mathematics with students.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine whether the teacher's background affect students' approach to mathematics teaching. Characteristically, in Sweden today is that mathematics is perceived as difficult subject and that the number of foreign teachers has increased. The study examines a phenomenon which the relationship between the teacher's language accent and substance difficulties.The method used for data collection is questionnaires, in order to investigate the phenomenon as the relationship between the teacher's accent and substance difficulties.The investigation has been carried out based on the students' point of view, both secondary and primary school pupils. What difficulties have arisen in teaching?  What is the biggest obstacle to achieve the goals of mathematics, to understand the teacher's language accent first in order to understand the subject, or that mathematics is difficult in itself to be understood as a substance.The result clearly shows that the teacher's accent does not affect teaching and students' view of mathematics as a subject.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this essay is first to get a general idea about a group of working teachers thoughts of mathematics and the teaching in mathematics. I also would like to find out what they think affect pupils relationship to the subject. The surveys main purpose is to compare teachers in grade 4-6 and teachers in grade 7-9 view of what you as a teacher can do to further the learning in mathematics. I have done eight interviews. Four of them are with teachers in grade 4-6 and the other four interviews are with teachers in grade 7-9.Concerning the result of my examination it is difficult to come to a general conclusion.

Background: Mathematics is a subject that many students perceive as difficult. In recent years, results in mathematics declined, while many students have difficulties in the subject of Swedish. However, there is not much research on the relationship between difficulties in mathematics and language weaknesses.Purpose: The purpose of this work is to find out what role the advocate competence of learning opportunities for the students to understand mathematics. A further aim of this work is to find out how mathematics is verbalized and individualized in preschool and find out how teachers in those classes describes how they work to verbalize and individualize mathematics.Method: The purpose is answered by observations in preschool and interviews of the teachers working in the observed classes. The empirical data are discussed and analyzed with theories related to children's learning and literature of mathematics and language.Result: The results show that mathematics is extensively verbalized in preschool classes.

Swedish students' knowledge of mathematics has deteriorated in recent years. Teaching of mathematics is therefore starting point in an ongoing discussion among researchers, school leaders, politicians, teachers and others, who all thinks they know best about how teaching should be designed to the greatest extent possible to raise students' proficiency levels in the subject. Teachers' practices have long been the focus of discussions and views on these differ. The purpose of this paper is therefore to study students 'conceptions of mathematics and mathematics teaching, with teachers' methods and tools of focus, in relation to previous research on the subject. The method used was a survey of students in secondary school and a textual analysis of previous studies on the subject.As revealed by the survey was that the textbook has a big advantage in mathematics education in Sweden today.Many students are not accustomed to working in a different way and thereforedoes not know either what the alternative approach entails.

For many years, I have tried to understand why students end up in difficulties in mathematics. As a future teacher, it is extremely important to have knowledge of the various factors that leads to difficulties in mathematics. As a teacher it is obvious to meet the students who find mathematics a difficult subject, and, therefore it is necessary to have a broader knowledge of how to respond and support these students. According to Ahlberg, number of students with mathematics difficulties is increasing every year, therefore, it is important to help students and organize a supporting school environment that promotes and encourages learning (Ahlberg 2001, p. 104-105).