Impact of the course teaching and learning of mathematics on preservice grades 7 and 8 mathematics teachers in Singapore

This paper explores the impact of the course “Teaching and Learning of Mathematics (Grades 7 and 8)” for the preparation of pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. It examines how pre-service teachers perceived mathematical problem solving and communicating mathematical knowledge before and after the course. The main objective of the course is to equip them with a working knowledge of basic teaching principles, an understanding of the theories of learning that inform instruction, and a thorough knowledge of the curriculum. The participants of the study are professor X, who teaches the course, and her five pre-service teachers (PTs). The PTs wrote a journal entry after every topic explored during the tutorials, detailing their learning during the course of study. For their journals, specific prompts were provided for them to reflect on their learning and experiences. At the end of the course the PTs were also interviewed. The interview sought PTs perceptions about their communication of mathematical knowledge during the microteaching sessions. The data collected were subjected to qualitative analysis. The findings of the study show that the course deepened PT’s knowledge of mathematical problem solving and also shaped their ideas about how to communicate mathematical knowledge in ways that address the why and how of it.