I am surprised at the implications made by the author about how language affects students' positions in relation to mathematics. The articles states that the absences of first person pronouns affects nature of mathematical activity" and "also distances the author from the reader, setting up a formal relationship between them". I can see how this can contribute to students having a hard time relating themselves to the math content, that may already seem so static and theoretical on paper, rather than dynamic and practical in the real world.
The author also suggest that the linguistic choices in textbooks affects students' positions in relation to their experiences of the world. As one flips through a textbook from front to back, it assumes the reader is progressing with it, though, of course, this progression is different for every student. The author poses an interesting question: "Would the reader think that his or her everyday experiences matter less than their mathematical experiences?".
I think textbook use in classrooms can be beneficial to both the teacher and students. It can offer a different perspective and give students another way to approach mathematical concepts and problems. However, I think teachers and students should be flexible in their thinking and teachers should not rely on the textbook content and progression as a sole guidance to drive the course content.
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