How Do Exemplary Chinese and U.S. Mathematics Teachers View Instructional Coherence?

• In Event: Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development in Global Contexts

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-national study is to understand teachers’ views about the meaning of instructional coherence and the ways to achieve instructional coherence. With respect to the meaning of instructional coherence, the majority of Chinese teachers emphasized the interconnected nature of mathematical knowledge beyond the teaching flow, whereas the majority of U.S. teachers paid attention to connections of teaching activities, lessons, or topics. U.S. teachers expressed their views about ways to achieve instructional coherence through managing a complete lesson structure. In contrast, Chinese teachers emphasized pre-design of teaching sequences, transitional language and questioning based on the study of textbooks and students beforehand. Moreover, they emphasized addressing student thinking and dealing with emerging events in order to achieve “real” coherence.

Authors

• Jinfa Cai, University of Delaware

• Meixia Ding, Temple University

• Tao Wang, University of Tulsa