Whose story gets told? Gender, power, and participation in mathematics storytelling

The gender gap in mathematics education remains a persistent challenge. Mathematics storytelling has emerged as a learner-centred instructional approach that invites female learners into the learning process. This study designed a mathematics storytelling activity to explore female learners’ experiences and examine how gendered power dynamics influence their participation and engagement. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analysed conversation statistics, structures, and content to investigate these interactions. Our findings indicate that mathematics storytelling has the potential to enhance female learners’ engagement, but without intentional efforts to foster equitable participation, male learners are more likely to dominate the process. These insights highlight the need for carefully designed storytelling interventions to promote gender equity in mathematics learning.