Preservice Primary School Mathematics Teachers’ Questioning Skills and Knowledge of Students in terms of Pedagogical Content

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine preservice primary school mathematics teachers’ skills to prepare clinical interview tasks, to question and to analyze and interpret the questioned students’ thinking. The study group included 39 preservice teachers studying Primary School Mathematics Teaching in their 3rd year. The study investigated the questioning skills used by the preservice teachers in their interviews with primary school students and their knowledge of these students’ mathematical thinking. Data of the study consisted of interview transcripts, video recordings of the clinical interviews, reports prepared about the students and journals kept by the preservice teachers. As a result of the qualitative analysis of data, it was concluded that, in general, the preservice teachers did not have an adequate level of preparing questions and questioning and, therefore, acquisition of knowledge of students. Nevertheless, it was also observed that some major changes occurred in the preservice teachers’ thinking and beliefs about mathematics learning and teaching.