Researchers have argued that integrating early algebra into elementary grades will better prepare students for algebra. However, currently little research exists to guide teacher preparation programs on how to prepare prospective elementary teachers to teach early algebra. This study examines the insights and challenges that prospective teachers…

In an age when reform is based on standards and instruction is based on research, this article gives practical advice for how mathematics teachers can analyze errors in student problems to create interventions that aid not only the individual's development, but the entire class's as well. By learning how to correct mathematics students'…

The aim of this study was to evaluate preservice primary mathematics teachers' ability to discuss and investigate students' thinking process about the concepts of variable, equality and equation, to analyse their ability to predict student difficulties and misconceptions and, in this respect, to present their subject-matter knowledge and possible…

This study examined prospective middle grade mathematics teachers' knowledge of algebra for teaching with a focus on knowledge for teaching the concept of function. 115 prospective teachers from an interdisciplinary program for mathematics and science middle teacher preparation at a large public university in the USA participated in a survey. It…

This qualitative study examined the experiences of three eighth-grade prealgebra teachers as they planned student sensitive lessons for their ethnoculturally diverse students. The teachers worked in a lesson study group with a diversity consultant, an ESL (English as a second language) teacher who had a variety of multicultural experiences from…

This article presents our plans and initial work to explore how mathematics teacher education programs can prepare teachers for diverse middle grades classrooms. It describes the start-up of a five-year National Science Foundation project to design, develop, and test technology-enriched teacher preparation strategies to address equity in algebra…

Sixty-five fourth-grade, fifth-grade and sixth-grade teachers in the Midwestern United States participated in professional development opportunities designed to increase their mathematics content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge over a two-year series of workshops. Through the use of pre-tests and post-tests assessing content knowledge and…

This is a record of the proceedings of the 30th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA). The theme of the conference is "Mathematics: Essential research, essential practice." The theme draws attention to the importance of developing and maintaining links between research and practice and…