This study explores the development of high school mathematics classrooms in terms of the teaching and learning for connecting students and mathematics from a cultural perspective. We in particular focus on the learning of high school students who are less confident and less motivated through examining what cultural perspectives are, what the bridges are between everyday thinking and thinking in mathematics, and the learning for enhancing students’ self-efficacy. Culture is in this study conceived as thinking and habits held in common by human beings. As a result of our analysis and discussion, we got three points for developing high school mathematics classrooms.
First, we discussed the learning space of play, the route of learning based on theories of the didactical situation or the semiotic chaining, and the learning environment in which students’ self-efficacy is enhanced.
Second, in order to develop the teaching and learning bridging between students and mathematics, we have to articulate the gap between students’ thinking based on everyday life and thinking in mathematics, and develop the classroom lesson as semiotically-connected practices.
Third, students may gain both knowledge and activity at the same time through participating in an activity, and enhance their self-efficacy through the activity in the integrated environments where their ideas connecting between their everyday thinking and thinking in mathematics are activated and encouraged.
