Developing Preservice Teachers' Capacity for Giving Feedback on Math Writing With Systemic Functional Linguistics

• In Event: 30.080 - Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: 30.080-2 - Coaching and Feedback in Teacher Education

Abstract

Secondary teachers are expected to support students’ disciplinary literacy development, yet many struggle to practice effective writing instruction. To do so, teachers need an awareness of how language constructs the content of their discipline and an ability to talk about specific disciplinary linguistic features with students. This study reports on the potential of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) for supporting teachers in developing this knowledge. A mixed methods analysis of pre-service teachers’ responses to student math writing before and after SFL-based professional development suggests they were better able to give written feedback to support students’ use of disciplinary language in the construction of mathematical knowledge. These findings have implications for teachers, teacher educators, and the use of SFL in schools.

Authors

• Kathryn Accurso, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Meg Gebhard, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Stephanie Purington, University of Massachusetts - Amherst