Dr Elizabeth Kimber

Leverhulme Early Career Fellow

elizabeth.kimber@open.ac.uk

Biography

Research interests

I research mathematics classroom language, particularly mathematics classroom discourse on functions and graphs. I am currently researching language around graphs and ideas of change in Core Maths teaching, funded through a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship. This work develops my doctoral research, which used systemic functional linguistics to analyse discourse on graphs in secondary school mathematics teaching. It also builds on my postdoctoral work at University of Oxford on projects supporting language-responsive teaching.

I also have international research collaborations with experts in language-responsive teaching and covariational reasoning.

Teaching and curriculum development work

I have taught mathematics at school and university level (and completed a PhD in pure mathematics before moving into full-time teaching). I have led an undergraduate mathematics programme for prospective teachers and have been a tutor on a Secondary Mathematics PGCE programme. I am interested in mathematics teaching that uses rich tasks and previously worked as a resource designer for the Underground Mathematics project and worked for NRICH.

Mathematics outreach

For many years I have been involved in mathematics outreach and widening participating in mathematics, including running UK Mathematics Trust Summer Schools for Girls (2013-2013), Royal Institution Mathematics Masterclasses (2013-2026) and other university-based mathematics outreach for students and teachers.

Committees and service

I am an editor for the BCME10 conference proceedings and a member of the organising group for the language topic study group at the ICME-16 conference in 2028.

Projects

A systemic functional linguistic analysis of discourse on graphs in Core Maths teaching

Policy developers in England recently recommended expansion of post-16 Core Maths courses, typified by use of authentic situations and extensive discussion of data and graphs. My prior research on graphs in 11-16 mathematics reveals distinctive classroom discourse that shapes and is shaped by students’ developing quantitative literacy. This study uses systemic functional linguistics to analyse speech and gestures in Core Maths lessons, which will contribute to understanding how experienced teachers use work on graphs in authentic situations to foreground the expression of mathematical ideas. Research-informed teaching materials to support language-aware Core Maths teaching will be co-developed and trialled with teachers.