Supporting indigenous primary students’ success in problem-solving: learning from Newman interviews

Abstract

This paper reports on part of a large study investigating how Indigenous students’ mathematical proficiency can be effectively supported in the primary years. Within this study, the problem-solving processes of thirty-six primary aged students in an Indigenous community school were evaluated. This was examined by ascertaining students’ problem-solving proficiency on a written test, conducting error analysis from written test scripts, followed by Newman interviews. The findings indicated that supporting students’ strategic competence and productive dispositions were critical in fostering students’ problem-solving success. When students’ strategic competence was supported through a scaffolded Newman interview, students’ problem-solving proficiency increased. Furthermore, the oral and personal nature of Newman interviews acted to significantly increase students’ productive dispositions towards the tasks. These findings have implications for teaching practice and provide tangible points of action that classroom teachers can implement to support Indigenous students’ success in problem-solving.