Teacher’s actions to promote flexibility in mental arithmetic

Abstract

In this article, we discuss teachers’ actions to develop flexibility in students’ mental arithmetic. We analyze the actions of a second-grade teacher during the whole-class discussion of a task, included in a sequence of tasks designed to promote calculation flexibility. Flexibility is a competence that students should develop at school, and teachers’ actions are crucial for fostering flexible mental calculation by which students establish number relations. Data were collected through observation by the authors along with videotaping the activity and transcribing recorded speech. In data analysis, we examined how the teachers’ actions and questions were critical for students to focus on the properties of numbers and operations and thereby improve their calculation flexibility. The teacher’s supporting/guiding and challenging actions were most frequently used during the whole class discussion, and they showed a greater influence in developing a conceptual understanding underlying the calculation flexibility. These specific actions, in conjunction with other actions, such as inviting and informing actions, appear fundamental in leading students forward in establishing number relationships.