AbstractBy finding out the pupils' choice of strategies for problem solving, we as teachers, can get a better understanding of their way of thinking, and thus also help them develop in their learning of mathematics. In a classroom environment where several different strategies could be found, the pupils' learning is facilitated as they, with the help of classmates, find positive and negative attributes of different kinds of strategies. The pupils are, in other words, each other's resources, rather than competitors. The main point is that the classroom environment, as well as the role of the teacher in the classroom, are both key elements for good mathematics learning.In order to increase the understanding of the pupils' choice of learning strategies, a survey was performed based on two school classes, one third grade and one six grade class at the same school. Both classes received the same mathematical problem to work with, and the strategies observed were analyzed and compared.

Syftet med denna studie är att ge en insikt i hur elever med kombinerade läs- och skriv och matematiksvårigheter tänker och resonerar vid problemlösning.Tre elever i år 8, som alla ingår i samma specialundervisningsgrupp i matematik, har arbetat med olika typer av matematisk problemlösning, såväl individuellt som i grupp. Med utgångspunkt i deras arbete skapas början till en grundad teori.I forskningssammanhang behandlas ofta denna kategori elever (med kombinerade problem) som en enhetlig kategori som jämförs med t ex elever med enbart matematiksvårigheter, normalpresterande elever osv. Denna undersökning visar dock att de svårigheter eleverna uppvisar är av mycket olika karaktär.Studien omfattar tre delar: en presentation av fältstudien och resultaten från denna, en metoddel innefattande en pilotstudie som koncentreras på datainsamlingsmetoden samt en omfattande litteraturstudie som behandlar problemlösning och inlärningssvårigheter..

Syftet med studien var att ta reda på vilka strategier elever väljer när de ska lösaett matematiskt problem. Vi genomförde en observation och nio individuellaintervjuer med elever i årskurs 3. De fick lösa ett matematiskt problem somobserverades. Utifrån elevernas lösningar genomförde vi sedan intervjuer för attta reda på vilka strategier de valt att använda för att lösa problemet. Resultatet avelevernas lösningar visade på flera olika lösningsstrategier.

Reading difficulties is the most common learning difficulty in the western world and it is common that people with reading disabilities also exhibit arithmetic difficulties. Different theories about the cause of the relationship exists, one theory describes the importance of good phonological ability in reading as well as in arithmetic, while another theory describes the importance of a reliable number system and that only a subgroup of students with reading disabilities also have difficulties with arithmetic. The purpose of this study is to investigate how students with reading difficulties (RD), without any known mathematical difficulties, perform on mathematical tasks relative to a control group. The study was theoretically grounded on the Triple code model (Dehaene, 1992), which is a model for numerical information processing that describes how various numerical and arithmetic tasks are processed through three distinct representation systems in the brain, a verbal and a visual representation system and a quantity system. Reading skills, phonological skills, arithmetic skills and number processing skills were examined in 61 students through a variety of tests.

The aim of this study is to fill the gap in mathematics education research concerning the relationship between identity and positioning in mathematical collaboration in groups. This study elaborates on the relationship between how pupils see themselves as math students in sixth grade, how they show their identities as math students, in contrast to how they position themselves reflexively in group collaboration while engaging in mathematical problem solving. The theoretical concepts linked to this study are discourse, identity and positioning. Discourse is used to describe and form the setting and context of the study. Identity is seen as a transient and elusive concept formed by the students own perceptions of self through narratives.

The comprehensive aim of the essay is to discuss the abilities of developing individual, communicative and cooperative skills, related to The Swedish National Agency for Education, for pre-school children in Montessori and Reggio Emilia-inspired pre-schools. The importance of the choice of pre-school for lifelong learning is discussed and examined. The two educational profiles are presented and the theories of communication, collaboration and individual work are the basis for the analysis of the results. The collection of empirical data is done through observations and interviews with pre-school children. First, the informants construct a fantasy animal on their own and then together with a partner.

The purpose of this study is to find out teachers view on manipulatives as a way to concretize a certain mathematical content and to highlight knowledge and experiences within the range of using manipulatives to concretize. By answering the questions below different approaches a teacher may have towards the manipulatives and how that may impact on student?s learning will also be discussed in comparison to mainly traditional and socially constructive theories of learning.What is the teachers view on manipulatives as a way to concretize?What purpose do they have when using manipulatives?According to the teachers, what does it mean to concretize a certain mathematical content?According to the teachers, what connection is there between manipulatives and concretizing?Through interviews and observations conclusions can be made that the teachers are in general positive towards using manipulatives as a way to concretize a certain mathematical content although the definition of what a manipulative is differ somewhat between the teachers. The teachers working with manipulatives do it in a well thought out fashion but more research is needed to furthermore define the purpose of using manipulatives. Few countries spend so much time concretizing and working with manipulatives as Sweden do, but still Sweden score below the OECD-average on the mathematical PISA-tests.

This paper investigates the methods used by teachers when teaching elementary mathematics to children with Swedish as their second language. The original mathematical terminology derives from Latin, Greek and Arabic, this terminology is not of great importance in this paper, the everyday language spoken in elementary classes when teaching mathematical concepts and calculations to younger children is. The use of everyday language is an advantage for children with Swedish as their second language as mathematical problems presented in a more plain language is easier to comprehend and solve than problems in mere numerals. Special teachers in home language classes often have the task of clarifying the mathematical concepts, introduced to the children during mathematical lessons, in the pupils first acquired language. A qualitative method was used in this study.

This essay examines if formative assessment causes any impact on upper secondary school students results in social science. Other questions asked are which group of students benefits most from formative assessment and if any connections can be found between the students result and their cognitive approach to learning, problem solving capability and attitude to school.Two classes from a school in Stockholm were chosen to participate in the study. The theoretical framework is mostly based on former research performed by Black and William (1998, 2003). Multiple methods were used, including an experiment with a parallel-group design with two groups, a survey and a problem solving test. Statistics is used to describe and analyze collected data.Both groups were taught during five lessons in the same field of knowledge with the same kind of teaching, apart from formative assessment.

The aim of this study was to investigate which factors teachers and special needs education teachers view as being the main causes of mathematical learning difficulties and from these choose how to educate pupils with these difficulties. The aim was also to investigate how this education is organised at two different schools. An interview based investigation addressed these objectives by using three comprehensive questions:Which factors do the teachers and special needs teachers view as being the main reasons for mathematical learning difficulties?How do teachers and special needs teachers educate pupils with mathematical learning difficulties?How is the education organised for pupils with mathematical learning difficulties at two different schools?This study is based on four interviews of three teachers and one special needs teacher. The people interviewed work at two different primary schools in the same local authority.

This is an empirical study of how the mathematical talk of adult learners constructs/reconstructs different mathematical discourses. The study is to be regarded as an attempt to develop a discursive approach within the field of mathematics education and to complicate the status of mathematics in education and in society in general. My theoretical underpinnings consist of three possible mathematical discourses ? coercive, regulative and emancipative mathematics. From a discursive psychology perspective, I let these discourses function as analytical interpretive repertoires in relation to the adult learners? rhetorical use of mathematics and their claiming of mathematical subject-positions, named the coerced, the self-regulating and the responsible mathematician.

The aim of this study was to design short interventions based on the literature study, which will change the pupils? posture on mathematics and connections between problem-solving in mathematics and everyday life. An experimental group of 17 pupils in fifth grade participated in the study and were educated in everyday mathematics 20 minutes a day during four weeks. The intervention was measured in a pre- and after questionnaire, in order to control the design and discover possible changes in the pupils? posture on mathematics and connections between problems and everyday life.

The purpose of this essay is to compile interventions for parents of children with cancer in a literature review based on 13 peer-reviewed articles. The objective is twofold: to describe the aim of the interventions, and to investigate their effectiveness. Results indicate that the aim is to reduce stress, prevent the development of posttraumatisk stress, improve problem-solving skills, improve coping behaviour or increase parents? knowledge of childcancer. Some of the interventions have intended effect, others have effect but not intended effect, and finally some show no effect at all.

Empirical research shows that a possible reason why Swedish students mathematical knowledge deteriorates can be a too big focus on imitative reasoning, i.e. recalling solutions or follow algorithms, and a lack of creative mathematical reasoning, i.e. when a student construct his/her own solution and motivates its plausibility with mathematically well-founded arguments. The purpose of this study is therefore to examine if, and in what way, lecturers can provide students an opportunity to learn creative reasoning by simulating creativity in their presentations of examples. Six lectures were observed and 22 task situations were analyzed with respect to three aspects; reflection, plausibility and mathematical foundation, which are to be present in the situation if the reasoning will be seen as simulated creative.

Undersökningen beskriver den matematiska kommunikationen mellan speciallärare och matematiksvaga elever. Den empiriska datan består av två matematiklektioner från år 9 i grundskolan. Datan analyserades för att finna olika typer av kommunikation.Lärarna var i många delar medvetna i sitt sätt att kommunicera med eleverna och undervisningsmiljön kändes trygg. Under lektionerna observerades två parallella språk, ett vardagsanknutet och ett matematiskt språk. Det framkom att ett tydligt förhållningssätt beträffande matematiskt språk kan underlätta för elevens inlärning samt medvetandegöra läraren om den kommunikativa betydelsen i undervisningen med styrdokumentens mål i fokus. .