Opportunities for reasoning and argumentation: Norwegian mathematics textbooks for grades 5-7

Utdanningsdirektoratet (2019a; 2019b) states that reasoning and argumentation shall permeate the entire mathematics education, and as one of six core elements in the curriculum it is among the most important contents in mathematics education. Reasoning and argumentation in mathematics is about understanding that mathematical rules and results have obvious reasons and are not random, and to give reasons and prove that approaches, reasons, and solutions are valid (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2019a). Several researchers refer to textbooks as central in teaching, both in planning and completing lessons (Wong & Sutherland, 2018; Pepin et al. 2013). The goal of the present study is to understand what…