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ScholarWorks > Education > Special Ed & Literacy > Reading Horizons > Vol. 61 > Iss. 2 (2022)

 

Publication Date

8-2022

Abstract

This study aims to grow the literature by examining the how of disciplinary literacies (DL) elementary mathematics instructional practices in teacher education, which is under-reported. Using qualitative case study methods, we examined how one cohort of elementary preservice teachers (PTs) enacted the DL instructional practices in their field practicum K–6 classrooms. Using a social constructivism perspective, we combined directed content analysis with real-time dialogue and the writing process as analytical tools to examine our data. Data sources included observation notes from the mathematics methods course, observation notes from the field practicum, and multiple artifacts (e.g., post observation oral and written reflections, lesson plans). Five findings emerged: The PTs (1) employed instructional practices to teach comprehension of the complex texts of mathematics, (2) provided instructional practices to build academic knowledge in mathematics, (3) taught the academic vocabulary unique to mathematics, (4) included instructional spaces for mathematical inquiry, and (5) used instructional strategies customized or adapted for the literacies of mathematics. While there were some limitations to our study, we found that elementary preservice teachers were able to enact the DL instructional approach when teaching mathematics to various levels of sophistication. We also found that the productive struggle approach emerged as a specialized instructional method specific to supporting the disciplinary literacies of mathematics, and it was enacted across several of the instructional tenets.

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