Early career elementary teachers’ practices & perceptions related to language & language learners

There has been limited attention to early career teachers’ (ECTs) understandings and practices related to language in teaching and learning mathematics. In this qualitative case study, we drew upon frameworks for teacher noticing to study the language practices of six early career elementary and middle school mathematics teachers. We describe multiple themes that cut across teachers’ noticing related to language and language learners, and discuss one theme (i.e., Perspectives on multiple languages) in more detail, including evidence of specific forms of noticing. Implications for teacher education and professional development are discussed

On Icky Data, the Political Classroom, and \u3cem\u3eTowards Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education\u3c/em\u3e: A Conversation with Tonya Bartell

Tonya G. Bartell, ed. 2018. Towards Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education (Switzerland: Springer International Publishing) 341 pp. ISBN 978-3319929064. This brief interview with Tonya Bartell introduces Towards Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education to the Numeracy audience. The interviewers also discuss with Tonya connections between quantitative literacy and mathematics for social justice, particularly in the context of US K-12 schooling. Tonya shares her perspective on topics ranging from the placement of quantitative literacy in K-12 mathematics education and how one might get started in incorporating a social justice lens into their teaching to paradigms for research in education

On "Icky" Data, the Political Classroom, and Towards Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education: A Conversation with Tonya Bartell

Tonya G. Bartell, ed. 2018. Towards Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education (Switzerland: Springer International Publishing) 341 pp. ISBN 978-3319929064. This brief interview with Tonya Bartell introduces Towards Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education to the Numeracy audience. The interviewers also discuss with Tonya connections between quantitative literacy and mathematics for social justice, particularly in the context of US K-12 schooling. Tonya shares her perspective on topics ranging from the placement of quantitative literacy in K-12 mathematics education and how one might get started in incorporating a social justice lens into their teaching to paradigms for research in education

Learning to leverage students’ multiple mathematical knowledge bases in mathematics instruction

In this article, the authors explore prospective elementary teachers’ engagement with and reflection on activities they conducted to learn about a single child from their practicum classroom. Through these activities, prospective teachers learned about their child’s mathematical thinking and the interests, competencies, and resources she or he brought to the mathematics classroom, and then wrote reports that included instructional suggestions as to next steps to further the child’s growth in mathematics. The authors’ analyses of these reports indicate that there were a variety of ways which prospective teachers made connections to one or more of their child’s knowledge bases. In a high percentage of cases, prospective teachers attended to one of these knowledge bases, indicating that they were attending to particularities about their child and developing the dispositions to continue to do so. Implications for research and practice are discussed

A Study of Early Career Teachers\u27 Practices Related to Language and Language Diversity During Mathematics Instruction

The role of language in mathematics teaching and learning is increasingly highlighted by standards and reform movements in the US. However, little is known about teachers’, and especially early career teachers’ (ECTs) practices and understandings related to language in mathematics instruction. This multiple case study explored the language-related understandings and practices of six ECTs in diverse elementary classrooms. Using iterative cycles of analysis, we found that all ECTs regularly attended to students’ mathematical vocabulary use and development. Yet, there was variability in ECTs’ focus on how to teach mathematical vocabulary, expectations for students’ precise use of mathematical terminology, and the use of multiple languages during instruction. These findings indicate that ECTs need more targeted support during teacher preparation and early career teaching in order to better support all students’ language development in the mathematics classroom

A Study Of Early Career Teachers\u27 Practices Related To Language And Language Diversity During Mathematics Instruction

The role of language in mathematics teaching and learning is increasingly highlighted by standards and reform movements in the US. However, little is known about teachers’, and especially early career teachers’ (ECTs) practices and understandings related to language in mathematics instruction. This multiple case study explored the language-related understandings and practices of six ECTs in diverse elementary classrooms. Using iterative cycles of analysis, we found that all ECTs regularly attended to students’ mathematical vocabulary use and development. Yet, there was variability in ECTs’ focus on how to teach mathematical vocabulary, expectations for students’ precise use of mathematical terminology, and the use of multiple languages during instruction. These findings indicate that ECTs need more targeted support during teacher preparation and early career teaching in order to better support all students’ language development in the mathematics classroom

Prospective Teachers Learning to Connect to Multiple Mathematical Knowledge Bases Across Multiple Contexts

A critical component of being an effective and equity-oriented mathematics teacher for children from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds is developing understandings and practices that support building on the strengths and resources that children bring to the mathematics classroom. Specifically, teachers need to learn to connect to children\u27s multiple mathematical knowledge bases which include children\u27s mathematical thinking (problem solving strategies and mathematical understandings) and children\u27s funds of knowledge (the cultural and linguistic knowledge, skills, and practices found in children\u27s homes and communities), as these connections enhance learning and achievement. This is particularly important for children from minoritized communities, whose cultural and linguistic practices and ways of knowing and being are often marginalized and undervalued in schools. In this chapter, we advance a framework for mathematics teacher education that privileges multiple contexts for learning to connect to children\u27s multiple mathematical knowledge bases. We highlight how teacher preparation experiences across multiple contexts draw into focus features of mathematics teaching and learning that are not often emphasized or foregrounded (i.e., connections to culture and community, or home and family practices). Each section of the chapter describes a specific context for prospective teachers learning (i.e., university coursework, classrooms, and interactions with children, families, and communities), and synthesizes across research studies from the United States and international contexts. We close the chapter with a discussion of the complexities and affordances of working with multiple participants across multiple contexts in mathematics teacher preparation

Promoting Equity in Mathematics Teacher Preparation: A Framework for Advancing Teacher Learning of Children\u27s Multiple Mathematics Knowledge Bases

Research repeatedly documents that teachers are underprepared to teach mathematics effectively in diverse classrooms. A critical aspect of learning to be an effective mathematics teacher for diverse learners is developing knowledge, dispositions, and practices that support building on children\u27s mathematical thinking, as well as their cultural, linguistic, and community-based knowledge. This article presents a conjectured learning trajectory for prospective teachers\u27 (PSTs\u27) development related to integrating children\u27s multiple mathematical knowledge bases (i.e., the understandings and experiences that have the potential to shape and support children\u27s mathematics learning--including children\u27s mathematical thinking, and children\u27s cultural, home, and community-based knowledge), in mathematics instruction. Data were collected from 200 PSTs enrolled in mathematics methods courses at six United States universities. Data sources included beginning and end-of-semester surveys, interviews, and PSTs\u27 written work. Our conjectured learning trajectory can serve as a tool for mathematics teacher educators and researchers as they focus on PSTs\u27 development of equitable mathematics instruction

Prospective Teachers' Perceptions, Beliefs, and Dispostions toward Students' Family, Community, and Culture

Research has repeatedly documented that teachers are underprepared to teach mathematics effectively in diverse classrooms. We believe critical aspect of learning to be an effective mathematics teacher for diverse learners is developing knowledge, dispositions, and practices that support capitalizing on children's cultural, linguistic, and community-based knowledge and experiences in mathematics instruction. This study examined beginning perceptions, beliefs, and dispositions of prospective teachers (PSTs) toward students' family, community, and culture. Results indicate that PSTs hold a range of beliefs based on how they see the resources and supports available to students in the home and community, how they compare and contrast themselves with their students and the students with each other, and how they see the nature of the relationships that can and should be formed by teachers with students and families. [For the complete proceedings, see ED584829.]Higher Educatio