Page 44 - Children’s mathematical development and learning needs in perspective of teachers’ use of dynamic math interviews
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Chapter 2
Regarding mathematical problem-solving, instruction focused on strategies for solving different types of problems and direct teaching of higher-level cognitive strategies were shown to improve achievement (Verschaffel et al., 1999; Wenglingsky, 2000).
Mathematical knowledge for teaching concerns knowledge of required mathematical concepts, possible misconceptions on the part of children, effective instructional strategies, and various representations. Mathematical knowledge for teaching is subject-specific and content knowledge forms a necessary prerequisite for the connection of pedagogy with context (Depaepe et al., 2013). Hill et al. (2005) found teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching to positively predict gains in children’s mathematics achievement during the first and third grades. Similarly, Campbell et al., (2014) found teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching to directly and positively relate to children’s mathematics achievement in grades 4 through 8. In a study by Muijs and Reynolds (2002), in which they collected data indirectly through a self-perception questionnaire, mathematical content knowledge correlated strongly with teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and only to a lesser extent with children’s mathematical development.
Teaching self-efficacy refers to teachers’ perceptions of their capacity to promote children’s learning, achievement, and engagement (Bandura, 1993, 1997; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). In a review by Klassen et al., (2011), ambiguous results were found for associations between teachers’ self-efficacy and general children’s achievement. In other research, however, Tella (2008) found teachers’ self-efficacy to contribute significantly to children’s mathematics achievement. Ashton and Webb (1986) also found a positive correlation between teachers’ self-efficacy and children’s mathematics achievement.
The present study
Despite the widespread availability of research addressing the impact of teacher-related factors on children’s achievement, relatively little is known about the influence of specific teacher factors on children’s mathematics performance. Research that takes a) the actual mathematics teaching behavior of teachers, b) their mathematical
 



























































































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