| Abstract: | Students in a grade 3 class in a primary school in an outer suburb of Melbourne were encouraged to talk about, and ultimately reflect on, the work they had learnt in mathematics. Four lessons, each of approximately 50 minutes duration, were videotaped. Key excerpts were subsequently replayed to the children in a one-to-one setting. The data presented focussed on a lesson aimed to extend the children’s knowledge of fractions beyond a half and a quarter. By tracing the responses of four students in particular, two low and two average achievers, substantial individual differences in the ways children constructed meaning out of shared mathematical experiences were identified. The investigation confirmed that listening to students talk about their own mathematical experiences provides a rich data base for investigating students’ learning, error analysis, and subsequent teaching. |
