Page 115 - Children’s mathematical development and learning needs in perspective of teachers’ use of dynamic math interviews

Effect of dynamic math interviews on mathematics teaching
With respect to effective teaching behavior, Reynolds and Muijs (1999) found that classroom management, the ability to teach math concepts while correcting misconceptions, interactive and activating teaching and providing adjusted support were important predictors of children’s mathematics achievement. In addition, based on observing elementary school mathematics lessons, Van de Grift (2007) identified the following as variables affecting the quality of teaching: a safe and stimulating learning climate, efficient classroom management, clear instruction, activating learning, adaptive teaching, and teaching and learning strategies (e.g., model, explain, scaffold). Follow-up research found that a cumulative organization of complexity levels in teaching behavior was relevant. These ranged from the less complex, such as safe learning climate and efficient classroom management, to the more complex, such as learning strategies and differentiation and adapting lessons (Van der Lans et al., 2018). By using cumulative organization, observers were able to assess teachers according to levels of complexity. And teachers could better understand their effectiveness at each level and anticipate teaching needs at the next level. Teachers’ diagnostic skills were also found to be important in identifying children’ math learning needs. Teachers who were able to assess children’ mathematics achievement and learning and thinking processes provided better adapted student support in the classroom (Hoth et al., 2016; Ketterlin-Geller & Yovanoff, 2009).
Self-efficacy refers to teachers’ perceptions of abilities about teaching and is context-specific (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). In regard to mathematics teaching, several studies showed that teachers’ mathematics teaching self-efficacy influence children’s learning, achievement and engagement. Chang (2015) found that teachers’ mathematics teaching self-efficacy influenced children’s self-efficacy and mathematics achievement as well. On the one hand, successful mathematics teaching acquirements contributes to strong beliefs in teachers’ self-efficacy and, on the other hand, children’s successful learning acquirements are influenced by their teacher’s effective teaching performance, which is strengthened, in part, by the teacher’s self-efficacy beliefs. Furthermore, Nurlu (2015) showed that teachers with higher mathematics teaching self-efficacy beliefs took
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