Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Anticipation of Student Responses to Linear Tasks

• In Event: Middle and High School Mathematics Discourse: Creating Learning Opportunities

Abstract

This study investigated middle school mathematics teachers’ knowledge and skills related to the first step in Stein et al.’s (2008) Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Discussions, anticipating student responses (ASR) to rich tasks. A sample of 19 teachers participated in interviews and anticipated student responses to four common linear tasks. Results showed different levels of ASR among teachers: consistently high, mixed levels, consistently low, and inconsistent levels.
Several variables (years of experience, secondary licensure, student-centered teaching philosophies) related to higher ASR levels. Several teachers had inconsistent ASR, which speaks to teachers’ local mathematical knowledge for teaching (Hill & Charalambous, 2012). Understanding variables that may impact teachers’ ASR is important for supporting teachers as they facilitate classroom discussions around important mathematical concepts.

Author

• Kathryn Mary Rupe, Western Washington University