‘I’m Confused”: Linguistically Diverse Students Moving From Unproductive Struggle Toward Productive Struggle

• In Event: Advancing Equity in Mathematics Education: Innovative Approaches for Diverse Learners

Abstract

Elementary students benefit from opportunities to engage in productive struggle to solve challenging mathematics problems. Less is known about unproductive struggle—where students become stalled and enter a period of confusion and/or frustration—particularly at the elementary level and in diverse contexts. In this case study of linguistically diverse elementary students involved in discussion-based math, the causes, characteristics, and pathways to resolution of unproductive struggle were examined. Findings indicate that unproductive struggle often stems from misunderstanding the nature of the math problem, and shared resources are pivotal to teacher and/or student efforts to move into productive struggle.

Authors

• Stacy Kula, Azusa Pacific University

• Lorelei R. Coddington, Biola University