Leading whole-class discussions: from participating in a lesson study to teaching practice

Abstract

PurposeThis article aims to analyse how a teacher leads whole-class discussions during and after participating in lesson studies and to what extent that participation influences her teaching practice.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative/interpretative research with a case study design, carried out with a secondary school mathematics teacher who participated in two lesson studies. Data were collected from participant observation, audio recording of lesson study (LS) sessions and discussions with the teacher, video recording of lessons and semi-structured interviews. Frameworks regarding the teachers' actions are used in the analysis.FindingsThe results suggest that in her teaching practice, the teacher led students to explain their strategies with supporting/guiding actions, but she also challenged the students to justify their productions, ensuring that the students' ideas were clear. Additionally, the teacher explored incorrect strategies and disagreements, inviting and challenging other students to intervene or react and involved students in drawing connections, as discussed in the LS. Therefore, the teacher put into practice several actions teachers can do in leading whole-class discussions to promote students' learning. Participating in LS was an opportunity to rethink her teaching practice, as the teacher pointed out, bringing her a new perspective on leading discussions in which students play an active role in learning mathematics, creating opportunities for the students to explain and react to their colleagues' ideas.Originality/valueThis article examines an under-researched issue: the influence of LS on the way a teacher leads whole-class discussions, during and after participating in lesson studies.