This article examines research literature that overlaps the fields of mathematics and special education, with a particular focus on students with disabilities at the middle and high school levels. We report the results of this literature by describing some of the inconsistencies or contradictions between the fields as well as the commonalities…

This paper reports on the beliefs of a group of K-8 mathematics teachers about appropriate goals and methods of mathematics teaching for students with mathematics learning difficulties and for students generally. The teachers were involved in a brief professional learning program that aimed to provide them with effective strategies for mathematics…

This paper describes the experiences of two pre-service primary teachers in a teacher education subject focusing on mathematics and learning difficulties. It describes how bibliotherapy was a powerful reflective tool that provided them with the opportunity to respond cognitively and affectively to their own schooling. By analysing readings about…

I argue in this article that identity as a mathematical thinker develops through self-directed learning within a supportive community of practice. The dynamic nature of identity as a mathematical thinker is illustrated by considering the experiences of primary pre-service teachers who undertook a mathematics and technology subject in their…

This paper examines some of the complexities involved in the actual work of classroom instruction by examining interactions among the goals of teaching. The research is part of a case study of teaching a Year 7 Singapore class comprising students of average mathematical ability. Among the complexities of teaching analysed here are the problems…

In New South Wales the focus on assessment "for" learning requires teachers to consider carefully the alignment between assessment, curriculum, and pedagogy. This emerging agenda in teacher education seeks to ensure that assessment practices provide advice to teachers about what students know and where teaching might be directed to enhance…

Reforms in education have repeatedly been confronted with the challenge of policy implementation. Recent initiatives in mathematics are no exception. Pressing for fundamental and complex changes to pedagogy, the initiatives demand much from teachers. In this article, we propose a conceptual frame for understanding how teachers and schools work to…

The new Queensland "Mathematics Years 1-10 Syllabus" differs from previous syllabuses in that it has an outcomes structure that describes how students think, reason, and work mathematically. The main challenge for secondary teachers implementing the new syllabus lies in taking a more investigative approach to "working mathematically". This paper…

Gaps between teaching practices and research recommendations have been well documented. One challenge for research is in understanding the processes and systems that promote a bridging of these gaps. A year-long study with four primary teachers documented ten support mechanisms, or connection levers, that the teachers raised as important for…

Although much is known about the features that contribute to the effectiveness of professional learning activities these are often not incorporated into the design of professional learning initiatives. This paper describes a mathematics professional learning process that was carefully designed to incorporate such principles, and illustrates its…

This study examines the learning of a diverse team of five professional developers as they led or supported a mathematics initiative. Although teachers are typically the focus of learning in professional development, we contend that the learning of professional developers is important and should not be overlooked. We examined our learning as a…

This paper investigates the effects of a sustained professional development project in South Australia in which a small group of preschool educators worked with the authors to develop their own knowledge and skills in facilitating young children's mathematical learning. Through the development of an approach to pedagogy that linked the mandated…

This paper reports on the use of a profiling instrument to evaluate an in-service professional development program for teachers of middle school numeracy. Two aspects of the use of the profile are reported. One relates to the aims of the profile to reflect Lee Shulman?s seven types of teacher knowledge and to measure change in teachers with…

An integral part of all initial teacher education programs is the school-based practicum where pre-service teachers get an opportunity to develop their teaching skills and knowledge in a classroom setting. Many have suggested that these experiences are very powerful in shaping pre-service teachers' views of teaching because they are perceived as…

This paper reports on a study focused upon 83 pre-service primary teachers in their first mathematics pedagogy subject at the University of Western Sydney. They completed three surveys: an achievement test of the mathematics they would be expected to teach; a survey of their beliefs about mathematics, mathematics teaching and mathematics learning;…