Communication in Learning Mathematics Coursework

It is apparent from numerous studies that the role of effective communication between teachers and students is one of the key factors of providing a high-quality education (Clements & Sarama 2014; Pehmer, Gröschner, & Seidel 2015; Franke et al. 2015). In particular, the role of talk, especially in the field of mathematics, has been widely recognized. For example, the study by Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen and Drijvers (2014) explores the application of the domain-specific learning theory, while Taylor (2017) elaborates on the use of the transformative learning theory. The purpose of this paper is to observe how the contribution of learning theories can facilitate the process of teaching mathematics at school.

Analysis of The Children’s Mathematical Learning

It is evident that mathematics is one of the principal subjects in the contemporary educational system. As it is mentioned by Clements and Sarama (2014), the use of talk in the educational processes is a part of the complex of instructional issues, which are typical of contemporary math teachers. Particularly, it is stated that “teachers with more connectionist orientations were more likely to be highly effective” than those who use a more authoritative type of talk (Clements & Sarama 2014, p. 256). The authors also point out that it is essential to develop individual approaches to different students because children’s “math ability” is not distributed equally. Therefore, selecting the appropriate type of talk is the part of developing an effective teaching strategy.

The Role of Teacher’s and Children’s Talk in the Learning Process

Further, it is essential to elaborate on the role of talk more particularly. The article by O’Connor, Michaels, and Chapin (2015) is focused on this topic, as the authors attempt to testify the credibility of the teacher talk’s importance of the educational process. By assessing the results of the controlled classroom study, the authors come to the conclusion that there are four principal long-term positive effects of implementing talk-based teaching strategies in the classroom: building the identity of “community of learners,” developing self-efficacy and “communicative stamina,” as well as mastering practical skills in explaining and thinking (O’Connor, Michaels, & Chapin 2015, p. 13). In overall, the study confirms the positive impact of the talk in the classroom.

The Impact of the Studied Concept on Future Practice

It is also essential to mention the impact of the studied concept in my future practice. It should be observed that since the talk influences the process of learning mathematics to such a vast extent, I might implement it in my practice. However, the study by O’Connor, Michaels, and Chapin (2015) also suggests that the application of this method does guarantee positive results. As efficient communication appears to be the basis of this approach, it is essential to employ various approaches to children with different educational needs.

Integration of Theory and Practice

Finally, it is of high importance to discuss the integration of theory and practice in the process of teaching mathematics. Two learning theories were previously mentioned in the paper, and, arguably, the domain-specific learning theory, which is elaborated in the study by Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen and Drijvers (2014), could be efficiently integrated with practice. According to the authors, the basic premise of this theory is that realistic situations, which are proposed by the teacher, “serve as a source for initiating the development of mathematical concepts, tools, and procedures and as a context in which students can in a later stage apply their mathematical knowledge” (Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen & Drijvers 2015, p. 521). Therefore, it appears that this theory is the most suitable for the integration with practice.

Reference List

Clements, DH & Sarama, J 2014, Learning and teaching early math: The learning trajectories approach. Routledge.

Franke, ML, Turrou, AC, Webb, NM, Ing, M, Wong, J, Shin, N & Fernandez, C 2015, ‘Student engagement with others’ mathematical ideas: The role of teacher invitation and support moves’, The Elementary School Journal, vol. 116, no. 1, pp.126-148.

O’Connor, C, Michaels, S & Chapin, S 2015, ‘Scaling down” to explore the role of talk in learning: From district intervention to controlled classroom study’. Web.

Pehmer, AK, Gröschner, A & Seidel, T 2015, ‘How teacher professional development regarding classroom dialogue affects students’ higher-order learning’, Teaching and Teacher Education, vol. 47, pp.108-119.

Taylor, EW 2017, Transformative learning theory. In Transformative Learning Meets Bildung (pp. 17-29). SensePublishers, Rotterdam.

Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M & Drijvers, P 2014, Realistic mathematics education. In Encyclopedia of mathematics education (pp. 521-525). Springer, Dordrecht.