Dealing with student mistakes in mathematics at primary school

Abstract

The article focuses on how teachers deal with student mistakes during mathematics instruction at primary school. The theoretical framework encompasses a constructivist culture of teaching and learning and dialogic teaching. Two general strategies are distinguished: avoiding mistakes and using mistakes as opportunities to learn. The presented qualitative study is based on 24 audio recordings of mathematics instruction, supplemented by interviews with six teachers. Through axial coding, we arrived at seven categories that describe specific ways of dealing with mistakes: not responding; making students aware of a mistake; encouraging students to present proofs; leading students to a level where they do not fail; expanding the student network of mathematical knowledge; creating opportunities for presenting content to clarify mistakes; and providing opportunities for students to find the cause of their mistakes. The findings are discussed in the context of the constructivist approach to instruction.