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/GROUP/ACTIVITY part of the class:

What proportion of time does the teacher talk?

Teacher talk most of the time when she explains the lesson or gives instruction and asks
a question also, sometimes talk to give the student feedback or praise them. I think the
percentage was about 95% (teacher centre).
o

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

7 minutes

What types of questions does the teacher ask?

The teacher asks different kinds of the question, for example, closing, and open-ended
question. But I think she asks closing question (is 5 number is odd?) more than other
types of question (how do you the number 5 is odd number?)
o

List all the exact words you hear the teacher uses when asking questions
about the math topic (not review or procedural questions)
Do you know how to use an abacus?
How do you know is the odd or even number?
What is the relationships between skip counting and the even number?
can you explain your answer?

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

As I observed on math class student understand the lesson and start to answer the
question or solve it because they didnt ask the teacher to help them on activity time
only they use the manipulatives because of that I think student have learned some
mathematics.
What are children saying or doing that shows they understand a new topic?
They raise their hand to answer, also they be able to justify their answer (how, why) also,
they are able to finish their book without any problem.

How many of the children have an opportunity to talk?

As I observed the teacher concentrate just on the excellent students about 5
students.
o Are children talking only when the teacher calls on them?
As I noticed, sometimes the students talk if the teacher calls on them, but
sometimes the student answer without teacher calls on them or raise their
hands and the teacher listen to them. Also, all student starts to say their
opinion even if the teacher didnt call on them.
o

Do children talk to partners or in table groups?

The teacher asks them to work as a group then the student can share their
ideas or discuss their answer with her group, but the teacher did not use this
strategy all the time only for a specific lesson.

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

I think the student was not able to ask about the lesson only they raise their
hand to ask about the page of book (which page?) or ask for a permission
(toilet water).

In your opinion, is the classroom discourse about important and new

mathematics?
Why or why not?
I think the teacher wants to finish the book more if the student understands or not. as I
noticed the teacher concentrate to finish the lesson on one day even if the student didn't
understand.