A comparative study of United States and Chinese elementary mathematics textbook teacher guides.

摘要

This study first examined the guidance to the teaching and learning of whole-number multiplication in two mathematics teacher guides from the US and China: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Math (SF) and People's Education Press Math (PEP). The central question is how much mathematical and pedagogical knowledge and assistance these teacher guides provide for teachers.; The findings show that there are major differences between the SF and PEP guides regarding the explanations of the content found in the student text. At the beginning of the book, chapter openings, and by lessons, the SF guide provides few explanations of the content. Only at the chapter openings do we see some short illustrations on the topics and a list of their subskills. No in-depth discussions of student text are given anywhere in the SF guide. In contrast, for the PEP guide, the role of main topics is illustrated, rationales are offered, and the major pedagogical approaches of the student text are analyzed. Emphasis is put on establishing a conceptual understanding of the topics in the student text.; The findings suggest that the SF guide does not discuss the pedagogical knowledge or the mathematical nature of multiplication in a way that could significantly improve teachers' understanding of the content they teach. For the PEP guide, the pedagogical and mathematical knowledge not only lays a good foundation for teachers' understanding of the content they teach, but also can play a significant role in helping teachers improve professionally.; The study also examined an innovative US series---Everyday Mathematics (EM). The findings show that the EM guide provides useful general pedagogical and mathematical knowledge that covers the whole series. For each unit, the guide provides adequate information on the major ideas of the unit by groups of lessons, major activities designed in the program, and the current unit's place in the curriculum. For each lesson, the detailed directions for the developmental parts are very well written.; The study also explores the reasons why, more generally, teacher guides in the United States and China are written the way they are.