Zandra de Araujo

Developing Coherent Conceptual Storylines: Two Elementary Challenges

The ‘conceptual storyline’ of a lesson refers to the flow and sequencing of learning activities such that science concepts align and progress in ways that are instructionally meaningful to student learning of the concepts. Research demonstrates that when teachers apply lesson design strategies to create a coherent science content storyline, student learning is positively impacted (Roth et al., 2011). Because the conceptual storyline is often implicit within a lesson, and teachers often have difficulty articulating this aspect of lesson design (Lo et al., 2014), our professional development program engages elementary teachers in analyzing and developing graphic representations of a lesson’s conceptual storyline to make that element explicit. In this exploratory study, we present typologies that represent two primary challenges teachers faced in developing coherent conceptual storylines in their lesson design, and examine the extent to which professional development enhanced their capacity to develop a coherent conceptual storyline.

Connections between Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs and Their Selection of Tasks for English Language Learners.

ABSTRACTThe tasks teachers select impact students’ opportunities to learn mathematics and teachers’ beliefs influence their choice of tasks. Through the qualitative analysis of surveys, interviews ...ABSTRACT The tasks teachers select impact students’ opportunities to learn mathematics and teachers’ beliefs influence their choice of tasks. Through the qualitative analysis of surveys, interviews and classroom artefacts from three secondary mathematics teachers, this study examined teachers’ selection of mathematics tasks for English language learners (ELLs). In particular, this study explored teachers’ beliefs about ELLs and the ways in which those beliefs manifested in their selection of tasks. In order to accommodate ELLs, the teachers selected tasks that were repetitive, procedure-focused and devoid of context. The teachers’ choice of tasks stemmed from their beliefs about ELLs’ mathematical and linguistic abilities. Furthermore, the teachers often referred to ELLs as a homogenous group and this generalization, coupled with beliefs about ELLs’ mathematical and linguistic abilities, was evident in their task selections. The findings suggest a need to critically examine the potential impact of seemingly benign teaching practices and the beliefs underlying them.

English Learners in K–12 Mathematics Education: A Review of the Literature:

Alongside the increased presence of students classified as English learners (ELs) in mathematics classrooms exists a persistent pattern of the marginalization of ELs. Educators have sought research to identify how to provide ELs with high-quality mathematics education. Over the past two decades, education researchers have responded with increased attention to issues related to the teaching and learning of mathematics with ELs. In this review we analyzed literature published between 2000 and 2015 on mathematics teaching and learning with K–12 ELs. We identified 75 peer-reviewed, empirical studies related to the teaching and learning of mathematics with ELs in Grades K–12 and categorized the studies by focus (Learning, Teaching, and Teacher Education). We synthesize the results of these studies through the lens of a sociocultural perspective on language in mathematics. We then discuss avenues for future research and calls to action based on the extant body of literature.

Preservice Teachers’ Strategies for Teaching Mathematics with English Learners

Although English learners (ELs) are one of the fastest growing groups of students in the United States, many teacher preparation programs have yet to require preservice teachers (PSTs) to receive training in effective practices for teaching ELs. We examined four elementary PSTs’ instructional practices when implementing cognitively demanding mathematics tasks with ELs during a 4-week field experience. Through interviews, observations, and written reflections, we found that the PSTs tried to support the ELs, with varying degrees of success, by allowing for multiple modes of communication, including visual supports, pressing for explanations, and checking for understanding. The PSTs’ use of these strategies during the field experience was largely in response to the ELs’ use of language rather than mathematics. Furthermore, although the PSTs’ attention to linguistic supports was well intentioned, it often resulted in the PSTs taking on much of the mathematical thinking or failing to consider different student mathematical conceptions. We conclude that explicit instruction in and reflection on effective instructional strategies with ELs, set in authentic experiences, could help PSTs to more effectively develop the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the needs of ELs in the mathematics classroom.

Examining the design features of a communication-rich, problem-centred mathematics professional development

ABSTRACT While there is considerable scholarship describing principles for effective professional development, there have been few attempts to examine these principles in practice. In this paper, we identify and examine the particular design features of a mathematics professional development experience provided for middle grades teachers over 14 weeks. The professional development was grounded in a set of mathematical tasks that each had one right answer, but multiple solution paths. The facilitator engaged participants in problem solving and encouraged participants to work collaboratively to explore different solution paths. Through analysis of this collaborative learning environment, we identified five design features for supporting teacher learning of important mathematics and pedagogy in a problem-solving setting. We discuss these design features in depth and illustrate them by presenting an elaborated example from the professional development. This study extends the existing guidance for the design of professional development by examining and operationalizing the relationships among research-based features of effective professional development and the enacted features of a particular design.