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2013a.00016 Clements, M. A. (Ken) Keitel, Christine Bishop, Alan J. Kilpatrick, Jeremy Leung, Frederick K. S. From the few to the many: historical perspectives on who should learn mathematics. Clements, M. A. (ed.) et al., Third international handbook of mathematics education. Berlin: Springer (ISBN 978-1-4614-4683-5/hbk; 978-1-4614-4684-2/ebook). Springer International Handbooks of Education 27, 7-40 (2013). 2013 Berlin: Springer EN A30 A40 mathematics education social equity schooling history of mathematics education

doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-4684-2_1

Summary: Today we take for granted that everybody should be offered the opportunity to learn mathematics. However, it was not until well into the 20th century that ``mathematics for all'' became an achievable goal. Before then, the geographical location of schools in relation to children's homes, the availability (or non-availability) of teachers capable of teaching mathematics, parental attitudes to schooling, economic circumstances of families, and social and psychological presuppositions and prejudices about mathematical ability or giftedness, all influenced greatly whether a child might have the opportunity to learn mathematics. Moreover, in many cultures the perceived difference between two social functions of mathematics -- its utilitarian function and its capability to sharpen the mind and induce logical thinking -- generated mathematics curricula and forms of teaching in local schools which did not meet the needs of some learners. This chapter identifies a historical progression towards the achievement of mathematics for all: from schooling for all, to arithmetic for all, to basic mathematics for all; to secondary mathematics for all; to mathematical modelling for all; and to quantitative literacy for all.