In this paper we present findings from an initial phase of a more extensive study focussed on ways in which prospective mathematics teachers negotiate meaning from mathematics teacher education situations. The focus of this paper is on the language of one mathematics teacher educator and specifically the interpersonal aspects from one mathematics…

Natural language is known to play a crucial and specific role for children's learning in school mathematics. Not only does it carry special vocabulary, but subtle differences between natural languages may lead to surprising challenges, for instance, for learners who are not taught mathematics in their mother tongue. In this paper, the…

Although there have been a huge number of attempts to improve school algebra teaching, several countries are still struggling to improve students algebraic skills. In this study, we focus on the specific case of Sweden where students for several decades have had major problems mastering algebra. In order to get a better understanding of the…

Opportunities to learn related to the use of quantitative reasoning to solve higher-order real-world applications that reflect the messy nature of the world are scarce and vary across countries. Those experiences are essential to the development of quantitative literacy. This literacy, like that related to language, is critical for all children.…

The study set out to explore different mathematical difficulties among 877 second-grade children and to test the effect of memorization versus conceptual practices with number combinations. It used a latent profile analysis of baseline measurements of digit writing speed, number combination fluency, multidigit calculation, and number sense skills…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore whether and how principles from variation theory can contribute to the planning of teaching and learning beyond learning study. Design/methodology/approach: We study whether and how principles from variation theory contributed to a group of teachers' planning of teaching and learning about decimal…

Background: Early numeracy interventions including basic arithmetic are crucial for young students at risk for early mathematics difficulties (MDs), yet few studies have evaluated numeracy interventions in second grade with a randomized controlled design. Aim: This pre- and post-test randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of an…

Background: Teaching quality is assumed to be an essential prerequisite for student learning outcomes such as mathematics confidence and mathematics achievement. Notwithstanding its significance, empirical research examining the relations between teaching quality and learning outcomes is still limited, particularly among primary school students.…

This article focuses on students' meaning-making when working with mathematics textbooks from a multimodal approach that encompasses all resources for communication, which is an under researched area. Central to this study are the designed meanings of the textbooks and the affordances discovered by students when working with the textbooks. Video…

Mathematics teachers' beliefs are central to mathematics teaching and student learning. Because different aspects of motivation and affect--particularly enjoyment--primarily develop within the classroom context, examining how different teachers' beliefs may affect student outcomes in mathematics is imperative. The current study examines teachers'…

When a number sentence includes more than one operation, students are taught to follow the rules for the order of operations to get the correct result. In this context, brackets are used to determine the operations that should be calculated first. However, it seems that the written format of an arithmetical expression has an impact on the way…

This article focuses on how Swedish Year One students (age 7-8) make meaning when working with images in mathematics textbooks. Images include textbook images, but also students' self-drawn images used as support for calculation. The focus was (1) what the images in the exercises were designed to offer (the designed affordance), and (2) what the…

This article investigates how the recent implementation of programming in school mathematics interacts with algebraic thinking and learning. Based on Duval's theory of semiotic representations, we analyze in what ways syntax and semantics of programming languages are aligned with or divert from corresponding algebraic symbolism. Three examples of…

The aim of this paper is to investigate and compare lessons given in primary school teacher education in Japan, Finland and Sweden. We analyse one lesson from each country and compare them using a common framework. Chevallard's anthropological theory of the didactic (ATD) is used to frame this analysis and in particular to model teacher educators'…

This article reports on an educational design research study exploring the potential of combining entrepreneurship and mathematics -- two of the key competencies stressed as important in a society of lifelong learning. The aim of the study was to explore what happens when entrepreneurship is integrated into mathematics lessons. Eight Swedish…