0

Eric.ed.gov – Instructional Scaffolds in Mathematics Instruction for English Learners with Learning Disabilities: An Exploratory Case Study

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: As today’s classrooms become more and more diverse, there is a growing need to explore the intersection between English Learners (ELs) and students with learning disabilities (LD) in the content-specific instruction of mathematics problem solving. The aim of this study was to determine which types of instructional scaffolds may be used by math teachers to effectively support ELs with LD learning multiplicative reasoning. To this end, we employed an exploratory case study based on a frequency count analysis of four scaffold types used by the students and the teacher in their sessions. The results showed that kinesthetic and linguistic scaffolds were the most beneficial for helping ELs with LD to cultivate mathematical thinking with both concrete and abstract units, while also helping to increase the sophistication of… Continue Reading

0

Eric.ed.gov – The Richness of Mathematics Noticed by Teacher Candidates in a Professional Development School Model

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study examined how 16 female teacher candidates in two sections of a math methods course, which implemented high leverage professional development school practices, described the aspects of richness of mathematics (i.e., linking between representations, explanations, mathematical sense-making, multiple procedures or solution methods, patterns and generalizations, and mathematical language) from the “mathematical quality of instruction” (MQI; Hill et al., 2008) when observing a clinical faculty, their peers, and their own instruction. After analyzing written reflections and reflections using the Edthena video tool, we found that the teacher candidates were mainly focused on mathematical language and explanations. They described patterns and generalizations and linking between representations least frequently. Furthermore, their descriptions of mathematical language and explanations centered around instructional practices they could implement in their own classrooms, critical… Continue Reading

0

Eric.ed.gov – An Exploration of Preservice Teachers’ Reasoning about Teaching Mathematics to English Language Learners

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Research indicates that many English learners (ELs) have not been effectively supported in meeting their academic learning goals. This explains, in part, the growing interest and corresponding research on the essential teacher knowledge-base for teaching ELs. Despite the attention paid to this issue, research on preservice teachers’ reasoning and instructional decision-making, especially regarding teaching mathematics to ELs remains underexplored. For this reason, we examined–through the use of authentic teaching scenarios–how ten preservice mathematics teachers, at the end of their teacher training, chose to present mathematical concepts to their EL learners. We also studied, in depth, the rationale behind their choices. Qualitative analyses of these data revealed that pre-service mathematics teachers’ instructional decision making was grounded in their perceptions of ELs as either a homogenous or a markedly… Continue Reading

0

Eric.ed.gov – Exploring the Tagalog-English Code-Switching Types Used for Mathematics Classroom Instruction

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study aimed to examine the types of Tagalog-English code-switching used in mathematics classroom discourse. Four purposively selected tertiary level math teachers in a college situated in a rural area in the Philippines were part of the study. Using a qualitative approach, data were gathered through non-participant class observations and interviews with selected math teachers and students. Syntactic analysis of code-switching types was done to categorize the Tagalog-English utterances. The findings showed that Tagalog-English intrasentential code-switching, which accounts for 58% of the code-switched utterances, was the most dominant type present in math teachers’ spoken discourse, and this was evident when math teachers had to explain math concepts and solutions, or provide examples, among others. Intersentential code-switching made up 38% of code-switched utterances, while tag switching was used… Continue Reading

0

Eric.ed.gov – Fostering Early Math Comprehension: Experimental Evidence from Paraguay

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Research indicates that preschool children need to learn pre-math skills to build a foundation for primary- and secondary-level mathematics. This paper presents the results from the early stages of a pilot mathematics program implemented in Cordillera, Paraguay. In a context of significant gaps in teacher preparation and pedagogy, the program uses interactive audio segments that cover the entire preschool math curriculum. Since Paraguayan classrooms tend to be bilingual, the audio and written materials use a combination of Spanish and Guaraní. Based on an experimental evaluation since the program’s implementation, we document positive and significant improvements of 0.16 standard deviations in standardized test scores. The program helped narrow learning gaps between low- and high-performing students, and between students with trained teachers and those whose teachers lack formal training… Continue Reading

0

Eric.ed.gov – Novice Teachers Reflect on Their Instructional Practices While Teaching Adults Math

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Over three years, eighty-two teachers in their first or second year of teaching participated in orientation programs for new adult educators. During the programs, they reflected on their own instructional practices when teaching mathematics to adults. The teachers identified the practice they were likely to overemphasize and explained why they were likely to do so, posting their responses to online course discussion boards. Almost half of the respondents reported they “primarily emphasize calculation skills” and shared various reasons for doing so. The remaining respondents reported emphasizing one of four other instructional practices. Teachers put forth a variety of justifications for the instructional practices they have been using. Professional development efforts will need to recognize and take account of the teachers’ beliefs, assumptions and current practices. Link til… Continue Reading

0

Eric.ed.gov – The Role of Language Objectives: Strengthening Math and Science Teachers’ Language Awareness with Emergent Bilinguals in Secondary Classrooms

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study focuses on the linguistic foundation of sound pedagogic practices related to non-language content areas referring especially to language objectives; it employ Tharp and Gallimore’s theory on learning: making teaching visible in order to develop the students’ thinking. In the contexts of training both before and after service, a study was conducted on how secondary-science and math teachers contextualize their own teaching according to Emergent Bilinguals (EBs) by using interviews and focus group discussions. Findings reveal that teachers gradually develop an increased sense of importance of language objectives over time. The strengths and challenges highlighted through the study show the need for increased teacher training in the area of teacher language awareness (TLA). So far, the predominance of TLA in the classrooms has been on language,… Continue Reading