Relating Performance on Written Assessments to Features of Mathematics Discussions in High-Poverty Elementary Classrooms

• In Event: 31.079 - Teaching, Discourse, and Noticing in Mathematics Classrooms

Abstract

Many researchers have provided evidence from individual classrooms to illustrate the multi-faceted nature of mathematics discussions but few have demonstrated the effect of discussion on students’ performance on written assessments across several classrooms. We collected data in an economically disadvantaged, linguistically diverse elementary school district. We employed hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to determine how much of the between-class variation among 20 third and fourth grade students’ performance on a word problem test can be explained by class discussion overall and by specific features of math discussion. Most classrooms included some features of discussions. Overall class discussion had a positive effect on performance with the specific features: variety of approaches, opportunities to speak, and equitable participation having significant impacts.

Authors

• Rebecca Ambrose, University of California - Davis

• Leslie C. Banes, University of California - Davis

• Rachel Marie Restani, University of California

• Robert Bayley, University of California - Davis

• Heather Martin, University of California - Davis