An Investigation of Pre-service Middle School Mathematics Teachers’ Discussion Skills in the Context of Microteaching Lesson Study

Abstract

High quality discussions can enable students to understand complex mathematical concepts (Smith & Stein, 2011). Effective mathematics discussions occur when teachers engage the listening, thinking, inquiring, and applying skills of their students (Lobato, Clark & Ellis, 2005; NCTM, 1991). Studies show, however, that teachers face many challenges in orchestrating mathematics discussions (Stein, Engle, Smith & Hughes, 2008).  Novice teachers, in particular, struggle to coach their students through the discussion process (Chazen, 2000; Wood & Turner-Vorbeck, 2001). Therefore, the study found that orchestrating mathematics discussions is a skill that pre-service teachers should be encouraged to develop. The aim of this study was to develop pre-service middle school mathematics teachers’ mathematical discussion skills in the context of microteaching lesson study. Three senior pre-service teachers participated in and implemented three microteaching lesson study cycles. Data was obtained from lesson plans prepared by pre-service teachers, video recordings, observations, and field notes. Data was examined based on Smith and Stein’s (2011) method of orchestrating productive mathematical discussions via anticipating, monitoring, selecting, sequencing, and connecting. Results showed that as microteaching lesson study proceed, pre-service teachers acquired skills about anticipate student thinking and select students’ purposeful answers. In addition to that, pre-service teachers began successfully sequencing student thoughts and connecting important points related to big ideas.