Preschool Teachers’ Application of Scaffolding Strategies that Support Extensions in Children’s Mathematics Learning

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Education and Professional Development

Abstract

A preschool mathematics curriculum that supplements a widely-used whole-child comprehensive curriculum (SM) was developed to provide teachers with mathematics activity ideas and differentiated scaffolding strategies during adult-initiated group times. This study investigated how the implementation of the SM impacted teachers’ use of scaffolding strategies. A total of 50 transcripts of small-group activities conducted in the fall (pre-implementation) and spring (post-implementation), by 15 treatment and 10 control teachers, were coded in Dedoose. Seven scaffolding strategies were identified. R was used to conduct Mixed-Effects Models to compare teachers’ use of mathematical scaffolding strategies across treatment and by pre- and post. The SM effectively increased treatment teachers’ application of scaffolding strategies. Findings also illuminated a different pattern for control group teachers.

Authors

• Fei Xu, Oakland University

• Tomoko Wakabayashi, Oakland University

• Jill Claxton, HighScope Educational Research Foundation