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What are they asking? An analysis of the questions planned by prospective teachers when integrating literature in mathematics

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Abstract

Questioning is considered a powerful tool in mediating students’ knowledge construction and conceptual understanding. In this qualitative study, the mathematics-focused lesson plans of elementary education prospective teachers provided data to determine the ways that the approach of literature integration in mathematics influenced prospective teachers’ planned questions. All prospective teachers were required to incorporate children’s literature within the mathematics lessons they planned and presented during a field-based teaching experience. Analysis revealed variances in the numbers, types, and foci of prospective teachers’ planned questions. These findings allow speculation that the utilization of mathematics literature integration allowed many of the prospective teachers to create reform-oriented, constructivist mathematics-focused questions and experiences for their students.

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  1. Baylor University, One Bear Place #97314, Waco, TX, 76798, USA

    Barbara Purdum-Cassidy, Suzanne Nesmith, Rachelle D. Meyer & Sandi Cooper

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  1. Barbara Purdum-Cassidy
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Purdum-Cassidy, B., Nesmith, S., Meyer, R.D. et al. What are they asking? An analysis of the questions planned by prospective teachers when integrating literature in mathematics. J Math Teacher Educ 18, 79–99 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-014-9274-7

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