Page 193 - Children’s mathematical development and learning needs in perspective of teachers’ use of dynamic math interviews

Summary and general discussion
confidence-building feedback are crucial for this (O’Mara-Eves et al., 2006).
The recognition and understanding of children’s varying math learning needs is a prerequisite for adapted and differentiated mathematics instructions and thus part and parcel of successful mathematics education (Charalambous, 2015; Inspectie van het Onderwijs, 2019). Formative assessment is therefore called for to gain insight into children’s mathematical thinking, understanding, development, and needs (Ginsburg, 2009; Veldhuis et al., 2013). Dynamic math interviewing is a promising assessment tool for teachers and other professionals to thus use to assess children’s prior knowledge and skills, thinking and problem-solving processes, and their math-related beliefs, emotions, experiences and needs. With the information gained by the teacher in such a dialogue with the child, teachers can attune their interventions to within the child’s so-called zone of proximal development and thus maximize the effectiveness of the support they provide. Dynamic math interviewing thus supplements standardized testing. It has to be noted that a dynamic math interview can be applied in an interactive dialogue between a teacher and one child, but also a small group of children.
The outcomes of the present research also showed that teachers clearly benefit from a professional development program specifically designed to promote the implementation and use of dynamic math interviews. Such training on a more widespread and possibly standard basis for teachers should therefore be considered in the future.
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