Discourse-Oriented Instruction: How Does a Teacher's Talk Affect the Talk of Students With Learning Disabilities?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Discourse and Social Interactions in Mathematics Lessons

Abstract

There is a need to understand the nature of constructivist–oriented mathematics instruction targeting at students with learning disabilities (LD). This study conducted a quantitative analysis of teacher-student interactions during constructivist-oriented instruction involving three elementary students with LD in solving multiplicative word problems. Specific research questions include “How did a teacher’s discourse moves affect the students’ problem solving and reasoning?” The findings of this study seem to indicate that teacher discourse moves immediately affect student discourse moves pertinent to problem-solving accuracy; which then affect student high level reasoning (justification of the solution) thereafter. Teacher action has a larger effect than student action two turns of talk ago on the likelihood of student discourse moves pertinent to his/her problem-solving ability.

Authors

• Yan Ping Xin, Purdue University

• Ming Ming Chiu, Purdue University

• Ron Tzur, University of Colorado - Denver

• Joo Young Park, Purdue University

• Xiaojun Ma

• Xuan Yang, Purdue University