An Investigation of Pre-service Middle School Mathematics Teachers’ Discussion Skills in the Context of Microteaching Lesson Study

Yıl 2019, Cilt: 13, 37 - 43, 31.08.2019

Nadide Yılmaz İ. Elif Yetkın-ozdemır

Öz

High quality discussions can enable students to understand complex
mathematical concepts (Smith & Stein, 2011). Effective mathematics
discussions occur when teachers engage the listening, thinking, inquiring, and
applying skills of their students (Lobato, Clark & Ellis, 2005; NCTM,
1991). Studies show, however, that teachers face many challenges in
orchestrating mathematics discussions (Stein, Engle, Smith & Hughes, 2008).  Novice teachers, in particular, struggle to
coach their students through the discussion process (Chazen, 2000; Wood &
Turner-Vorbeck, 2001). Therefore, the study found that orchestrating
mathematics discussions is a skill that pre-service teachers should be
encouraged to develop. The aim of this study was to develop pre-service middle
school mathematics teachers’ mathematical discussion skills in the context of
microteaching lesson study. Three senior pre-service teachers participated in
and implemented three microteaching lesson study cycles. Data was obtained from
lesson plans prepared by pre-service teachers, video recordings, observations,
and field notes. Data was examined based on Smith and Stein’s (2011) method of
orchestrating productive mathematical discussions via anticipating, monitoring,
selecting, sequencing, and connecting. Results showed that as microteaching
lesson study proceed, pre-service teachers acquired skills about anticipate
student thinking and select students’ purposeful answers. In addition to that,
pre-service teachers began successfully sequencing student thoughts and
connecting important points related to big ideas.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Discussion skills, Lesson study, Pre-service teachers

Kaynakça

• Alwarsh, A. A. (2018). Productive Mathematical Discussions in Teaching Through Problem Solving, Ohio Journal of School Mathematics, 78, 4-10. Auliah, A.; Anwar,M. & Hardin, M. (2018). Enhancing Communication Capabilities in Discussion as an Effort to Improve Learning Outcomes: Implementing Lesson Study in Basic Chemistry Class, Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Advanced Multidisciplinary Research (ICAMR 2018) Bennett, C. A. (2010). "It's hard getting kids to talk about math": Helping new teachers improve mathematical discourse. Action in Teacher Education, 32(3), 79-89. Boaler, J. & Brodie, K. (2004). The importance, nature and impact of teacher questions. In D. E. McDougall, & J. A. Ross (Eds.), Proceedings of the 26th Conference of the Psychology of Mathematics Education North America, pp. 773-781. Toronto: OISE/UT. Chazan, D., & Ball, D. (1999). Beyond being told not to tell. For the Learning of Mathematics, 19(2), 2-10. Chazen, D. (2000). Beyond formulas in mathematics and teaching: Dynamics of the high school algebra classroom. New York, NY: Teachers College Press Chassels, C. & Melville, W. (2009). Collaborative, Reflective, and Iterative Japanese Lesson Study in an Initial Teacher Education Program : Benefits and Challenges, Canadian Journal of Education. 32(4), 734‐763. Cobb, P., Boufi, A, McClain, K., & Whitenack, J. (1997). Reflective discourse and collective reflection. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 28(3), 258–277. Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F. & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38, 915–945. Hatano, G., & Inagaki, K. (1991). Sharing cognition through collective comprehension activity. In L.B. Resnick, J. M. Levine, & S. D. Teasley (Eds.), Perspectives on socially shared cognition (pp. 331–348). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Hattie, J., Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2017). Visible Learning for Mathematics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Iksan, Z. H.; Aishah Mohd Nor, S. N.; Nordiyana Mahmud, S. & Zakaria, E. (2014). Applying the Principle of ‘Lesson Study’ in Teaching Science Zanaton, Asian Social Science, 10(4), 108–113 Jackson, K. J., Shahan, E. C., Gibbons, L. K., & Cobb, P. A. (2012) Launching complex tasks. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 18(1), 24–29. Kazemi, E., & Stipek, D. (2001). Promoting conceptual thinking in four upper-elementary mathematics classrooms. Elementary School Journal, 102(1), 59–80. Kelly, M. & Stafford. K. (1993). Managing Small Group Discussion (Workshop Series, No.9). City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, Professional development unit (now City University of Hong Kong, Centre for the Enhancement of learning and teaching) Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lee, J. (2008). A Hong Kong case of Lesson study-benefits and concerns. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24, 1115-1124. Lewis, C. (2008). Lesson study: A handbook of teacher- led instructional improvement. Philadelphia: Research for Better Schools, Inc. LikhulailaNasution, M. (2017). The Implementation of small group discussion to improve students’ speaking ability at grade VIII a of mts bına ulama Kısaran, State Islamic University of North Sumatra, Medan. Lobato, J., Clarke, D., & Ellis, A. B. (2005). Initiating and eliciting in teaching: A re-formulation of telling. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 101–136. Manouchehri, A. (2007). Inquiry-discourse mathematics instruction. Mathematics Teacher,101, 290-300 Manouchehri, A., & St. John, D. (2006). From classroom discussions to group discourse. The Mathematics Teacher, 99(8), 544-551. Michaels, S., O’Connor, C. & Resnick, L.B. (2008). Deliberative discourse idealized and realized: Accountable talk in the classroom and in civic life. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 27(4), 283–97. Ministry of National Education (MoNE) (2018). Matematik Dersi Öğretim Programı (İlkokul ve Ortaokul 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ve 8. Sınıflar. Ankara, Türkiye. Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Fransisco: Wiley Publications. Murata, A. (2010). Teacher Learning with Lesson study, In P. Peterson, E. Baker & B. McGaw (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Education,7, (pp. 575-581), Oxford: Elsevier. Murphy, K. P., Wilkinson, I. A. G., Soter, A. O., Hennessey, M. N., & Alexander, J. F. (2009). Examining the effects of classroom discussion on students' comprehension of text: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(3). Nathan, M. J., & Knuth, E. J. (2003). A study of whole classroom mathematical discourse and teacher change. Cognition and Instruction, 21(2), 175–207. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (1991). Professional standards for teaching mathematics. Reston, VA: Author. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Reston, VA: Author. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2007). Mathematics Teaching Today: Improving Practice, Improving Student Learning. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2014). Principles to Actions Ensuring Mathematical Success for All. Reston, VA: Author. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Washington, DC: Authors. National Research Council. (2001). Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Piaget, J. (1928). Judgment and reasoning in the child. New York, NY: Harcourt, Brace &World. Rasmussen, R. V. (1984). Practical Discussion Technique for Instructors. AACE Journal. Robinson, N. & Leikin, R. (2012). One Teacher, Two lessons: The lesson study process. International Journal Science and Mathematics Education, 10, 139-145. Saito, E. & Sato, M. (2012). Lesson study as an instrument for school reform: A case of Japanese practices, Management in Education, 26(4), 181–186. Sfard, A., Nesher, P., Streefland, L., Cobb, P., & Mason, J. (1998). Learning mathematics through conversation: Is it as good as they say? For the Learning of Mathematics, 18(1), 41-51. Smith, M. S. & Stein, M. K. (1998). Selecting and creating mathematical tasks: From research to practice. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 3(5), 344-350. Smith, M. & Stein, M. (2011). 5 Practices for orchestrating productive mathematics discussions. Reston, VA: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc. Smith C., & Piggott J. (2007, November). Enriching mathematics: Reflections on building a learning community. Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal, 22. Stein, M. K., Engle, R. A., Smith, M. S., & Hughes, E. K. (2008). Orchestrating productive mathematical discussions: Five practices for helping teachers move beyond show and tell. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 10(4), 313-340. Stiles, J. (2016). Supporting mathematical discourse in the early grades. Education Development Center, Inc. Stigler, J. W. & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap: Best ideas from the world’s teachers for improving education in the classroom. New York: The Free Press. Wood, T. (1999). Creating a context for argument in mathematics class. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 30(2), 171-191. Wood, T., & Turner-Vorbeck, T. (2001). Extending the conception of mathematics teaching. In T. Wood, B. S. Nelson, & J. Warfield (Eds.), Beyond classical pedagogy: Teaching elementary school mathematics (pp. 185–208). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Young, J. S. (2015). Orchestrating Mathematical Discussions: A Novice Teacher's Implementation of Five Practices to Develop Discourse Orchestration in a Sixth- Grade Classroom, Master thesis, Brigham Young University, Provo.