As students progress through the grades, the mathematics about which they communicate should become more complex and abstract. Students' repertoire of tools and ways of communicating, as well as the mathematical reasoning that supports their communication, should become increasingly sophisticated. Support for students is vital. Students need to work with mathematical tasks that are worthwhile topics of discussion. Procedural tasks for which students are expected to have well-developed algorithmic approaches are usually not good candidates for such discourse.
Technology is another good basis for communication.
Communication can support students' learning of new mathematical concepts as they act out a situation, draw, use objects, give verbal accounts and explanations, use diagrams, write, and use mathematical symbols. Misconceptions can be identified and addressed. Reflection and communication are intertwined processes in mathematics learning. With explicit attention and planning by teachers, communication for the purposes of reflection can become a natural part of mathematics learning. Children in the early grades, for example, can learn to explain their answers and describe their strategies.