Instructional practices in mathematics classrooms

International audienceIn the last decade, research on instructional practices has been carried out in mathematics classrooms in Iceland, mostly in the lower secondary school. In this study, the structure of 51 mathematics lessons in all compulsory school grades were analysed. The data came from a study called Teaching and Learning in Icelandic Schools, where 518 lessons from all school subjects were observed. To shed light on the structure of the mathematics lessons, diagrams were made which included the categories: non-mathematical work, teachers’ public interaction with the whole class, individual seat work, assessment, group work, and playing of games. The analysis revealed that in most of the mathematics lessons the students were working individually in textbooks. There was little public interaction between the teacher and the class but the teacher went around the class and interacted with the students. There were a few examples of varied instructional practices that emphasized group work and discussions.