The use of materials resources in teaching mathematics in primary classroom

A small-scale action research was conducted to explore and understand the possibilities and challenges involved in helping teachers to use resources in the teaching and learning of primary mathematics. The study was conducted in a private school in Pakistan with one teacher and her forty-five students. As the main purpose of the research was to help the teacher to improve her use of resources in teaching primary mathematics several teacher learning strategies were adopted to support the teacher to effectively use resources in the classroom. These strategies included: learning through observing the lesson demonstrated by the teacher educator, co-teaching, developing resources, and reflective discussions. The study lasted for seven weeks. The data was collected through various qualitative data collection tools such as observation, interview, tape-recording of the discussions and teacher's and researcher's reflections. According to the literature, resources, if they are planned and presented to the students in an appropriate way, play an important role in teaching mathematics. However, if the teacher does not have the knowledge and skills for using the materials in the mathematics lesson, the children might get confused. Therefore, the study is focused on a primary school teacher's use of resources in order to explore the possibilities and challenges faced by the teacher educator while supporting her in learning to use resources effectively. The study reveals that resources play an important role in teaching mathematics at the primary level and that the teacher's role in helping children to understand mathematical concepts is crucial. The data also reveals that the teacher believes that she needs continuous professional support in terms of use of resources in teaching primary mathematics.