Responsiveness to Students’ Mathematical Thinking in Middle-Grades Classrooms

Responsiveness to students’ mathematical thinking is a characteristic of classroom discourse that reflects the extent to which students’ mathematical ideas are present, attended to, and taken up as the basis for instruction. Using the Mathematically Responsive Interaction (MRI) Framework and data from 11 middle-grades classrooms, we illustrate varied enactments of responsiveness and describe fluctuations in and relationships among different components of responsiveness. We found positive associations between different components of responsiveness, but they were not entirely predictive of one another. Individual classrooms appeared more or less responsive depending on which component was foregrounded. Our findings offer a more comprehensive characterization of responsiveness that documents the intertwined nature of teacher moves and student contributions during all whole-class instruction.

Evaluating Teachers' Learning, Perceptions, and Cultural Differences Following Professional Development for Early Literacy Software

The present study examined the impact of professional development training on Canadian and Kenyan teachers’ confidence, comfort, and perceptions of their abilities to teach early literacy skills in the primary or elementary grades. Data were collected prior to and following training on how to integrate early literacy software as part of ongoing in-class instruction. Domain and technology constructs consistent with Mishra and Koehler’s (2006) technology integration model were assessed, as were perceptions related to delivery pacing. Overall, outcomes reflected more similarities than differences across the two groups of teachers. Limitations in foundational knowledge regarding concepts specific to early literacy were evident in both groups, despite higher levels of perceived confidence in Kenyan teachers compared to Canadian teachers in some content areas. Perceived comfort using technology and teaching with technology were highly correlated, with no differences observed across teacher groups. Pacing was perceived to be faster for Kenyan teachers compared to Canadian teachers. Implications for professional development in this domain are discussed.

A Metacognitive Instructional Guide to Support Effective Studying Strategies

Metacognition—the processes whereby learners assess and monitor their progress in learning (metacognitive monitoring, MM) and use these judgements of learning to make choices about what to study in the future (metacognitive control, MC)—has been shown to be beneficial to learning. However, effective learning also relies on metacognitive knowledge (MK)—that is, students’ knowledge about effective study strategies and how to employ them. Few students receive explicit in-class instruction on these topics. Here, we explore if an online instructional guide, which includes information about evidence-based study strategies, example questions for self-testing, and a study calendar to help regulate timing of studying can effectively teach MK to improve performance.While it is unclear if the online instructional guide was related to increases in MK, MM, and MC, we did observe benefits to student performance, particularly in highly anxious students on high-stake assessments such as the final examination. Future research should seek to understand how students were engaging with the guide and how the nature of the engagement impacted their study strategies.

General Educators' Involvement in Interventions for Students With Intellectual Disability

General educators are crucial players in efforts to support inclusive education for students with intellectual disability. In this systematic review, we examined the roles of general educators within interventions delivered and evaluated in their middle and high school classrooms. Among these 40 intervention studies, the involvement of general educators could be characterized as mixed and often minimal. Across studies, general educator involvement spanned six different areas: developing the intervention, arranging peer involvement, implementing intervention components, providing perspectives, collecting data, and delivering class instruction. The ways in which general educators have contributed to the delivery of interventions in their classrooms remains uneven. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at increasing the involvement of general educators in providing support to students with intellectual disability.

Teacher Questions: Mediated-Learning Behaviors Involved in Teacher-Student Interaction During Whole-Class Instruction in Chinese English Classrooms

Teacher questions have long been considered important in mediating students’ learning in language classrooms. This paper examined the mediated-learning behaviors involved in teacher questions during whole-class instruction in high schools of China. Five lessons of different topics were observed. Conversation analytic approach was applied to analyze teachers’ verbal interactions with students during whole-class teaching. Teachers’ questions and students’ responses were transcribed and categorized as display questions or referential questions. The mediated-learning behaviors involved in the two types of questions were discussed by presenting six sessions of interaction. The study investigated which question type initiated the interaction involving more variety of mediated-learning behaviors and what pedagogical implications this may have for teacher questioning techniques that enhance student learning. The study found the interactions initiated by referential questions contain more varieties of mediated-learning behaviors. This study suggests that teachers need to be encouraged to use referential questions more frequently whether in display interactions or in referential interactions.

Achievement Gaps in the Wake of COVID-19

A survey targeting education researchers conducted in November 2020 provides forecasts of how much achievement gaps between low- and high-income students in U.S elementary schools will change as a result of COVID-related disruptions to in-class instruction and family life. Relative to a pre-COVID achievement gap of 1.00 SD, respondents’ median forecasts for the jump in the achievement gaps in elementary school by spring 2021 were large–a change from 1.00 to 1.30 and 1.25 SD for math and reading achievement. Forecasts were similar for 2022. Although forecasts were heterogeneous, respondents showed overwhelming consensus that gaps would grow. We discuss implications for strategies to reduce learning gaps exacerbated by the pandemic as well as the mental models researchers appear to employ in making their forecasts.