TASK 3

Week 3. Analyzing Classroom Discourse.

Observe in a classroom, keeping a record that lets you answer the following
questions. Record/write down a list of what is said for 10 minutes during the CORE
part of the class:

What proportion of time does the teacher talk?

She mostly talks at the first of class, by giving the instructions of the activity and at
the end of the class. Its around the half of the class time which is around 20 minutes.
o

Time the class for 10 min, how many of those minutes is the teacher talking?

The teacher only talked for 4 minutes of the 10 minutes that I observed her during the
core lesson.

What types of questions does the teacher ask?

Some of the questions were like; can you say what this meaning is? Who can tell me
how many capfuls its hold? Is this hold more than milliliter or less?
o

List all the exact words you hear the teacher uses when asking questions
about the math topic (not review or procedural questions)

The words that she used was; more, less, milliliter, capfuls, measuring, ruler, capacity,
empty, half full and full

What evidence do you see that children have learned some mathematics?

The students could recognize the milliliter and say how many capfuls it makes and
they can also do their activities without so many misconceptions.
o

What are children saying or doing that shows they understand a new topic?

What made me understand that the students understand by watching the students
asking questions to develop their way of thinking about the concept? In addition, they
were trying to guess the things that hold milliliter from the class and gave some
examples of it.

How many of the children have an opportunity to talk?

All the students was having the opportunity to talk since the teacher make an activity
to let them all share what they know and what they dont by having peers and saying
what they learned until know.
o

Are children talking only when the teacher calls on them?

No, all the students talk when the teacher say start and talk about what you know to
your peers and in that way the teacher is not required to call each students names.
She only walk around and comment to their questions and opinions.
o

Do children talk to partners or in table groups?

The students talk to their peers who are setting near them on the carpet even if that
student wasnt from the same group to make the students communicate with other
groups too and share knowledge.

Do children raise their hands to ask questions? What are they asking?

Some of the students rise their hands to ask about things could happen if we put
more water on the container or how many milliliters should we have to get a liter of
milk?

In your opinion, is the classroom discourse about important and new mathematics?
o Why or why not?

I think that the teacher tried to show the students how learning milliliters
(mathematics) could help them on their own life when they want to cook, watering a
plant or other since the students could understand that they are learning something
useful and feel motivating to learn more about it.