Mudaly, Vimolan.Mulenga, Alexander.2025-09-202025-09-2020242024https://hdl.handle.net/10413/23925Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This study investigates the learner’s commognition when engaging with geometry in a grade 11 class. The theory of commognition, propounded by Anna Sfard, underpinned this study with particular focus on the four characteristics of mathematical discourse; namely, specific purpose word use, visual mediators, substantiated narratives, and routines. The phenomenological qualitative research design approach was utilized to investigate 3 grade 11 learners’ commognition. The study was conducted at a high school in the province of KwaZulu-Natal of the republic of South Africa. Data was collected by means of a written mathematics activity that required participants to use straightedge and compass to construct a circle, followed by proving one Euclidean proof. The participants then participated in a semi-structured group interview based on the written task activity. Data was analysed by means of two analytical tools; the Discourse Profile of the Tangent adapted from Mpofu, and Pournara and others, was used to examine the interview transcripts. The Realization Tree Assessment, initiated by Weingarden with others, and adapted by Haghjoo and his colleagues was used to investigate the written task activity. The examination of the results revealed that the participants word use was problematic and affected their level of objectification. Therefore, it was concluded that the participants discourse was ritualistic. These results suggest that attending to the degree of objectification in the initial stages of transforming ritual to explorations is cardinal before embarking on the process of deritualisation.enCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Learner’s commognition.Geometry.Grade 11 mathematics learners.Thesis