Mathematics at the Margins: (SpringerBriefs in Education)

This book reports the impact a four-year longitudinal study (Representations, Oral Language and Engagement in Mathematics (RoleM)) had on teachers and students from 16 schools in disadvantaged contexts. It offers theories with regard to the interplay between teaching and learning mathematics as teachers and students in these contexts implement a mathematics program. The data are longitudinal, drawn from 154 teachers and their students (up to 1738 students) from the first four years of school (Foundation to Year 3). To ascertain the effectiveness of the RoleM Professional Learning model, teachers were interviewed three times a year and pre and post-tests were administered to students at the beginning and end of each year. Students’ results indicated that all students’ understanding of mathematics improved significantly, with the ESL students showing the greatest gains. Their results matched the norm-referenced expectations for all Australian students of this age. This book shares the journey of these teachers, Indigenous teacher aides and students. It outlines the dimensions of the research findings that supported teachers to become effective teachers of mathematics and assisted students in becoming successful learners of mathematics. The book also draws on the expertise of researchers from both Canada and New Zealand. They share the similarities and the differences between RoleM findings and their own contexts, in order to draw general conclusions for the effective teaching and learning of mathematics at the margins of society.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Mathematics at the Margins.- Chapter 2 Being at the margins ≠ being unsuccessful at mathematics.- Chapter 3 Mathematics and marginality.- Chapter 4 Marginality and mathematics.- Chapter 5 Crossing the divide.- Chapter 6 Redressing the imbalance.- Chapter 7 Maintaining the momentum.

About the Author :
Professor Elizabeth Warren, is an internationally renowned mathematics education researcher and has been in this field since 1991. Elizabeth has many years teaching experience at the secondary level and lecturing part time at various Queensland Universities. Presently, Elizabeth is a fulltime researcher at Australian Catholic University where her interests are in promoting Indigenous student learning and the algebraic domain. Elizabeth has co-authored over 100 publications in the last 15 years. Currently, Elizabeth is heavily involved with research promoting Indigenous students mathematical learning. She is Chief Investigator of RoleM (Representations, Oral Language and Engagement in Mathematics). Dr. Jodie Miller is a lecturer in mathmatics education at Australian Catholic University. She worked as a research associate on the RoleM project. Jodie has recently completed her PhD thesis that explored how young Indigenous students generalised growing patterns. Her research areas include, early years mathematics, early algebra, numeracy in disadvantaged contexts and Indigenous education.

Review :
"Descriptions of tactics used to educate both the teachers and students are given ... . the book is interesting in the discussions of how aborigine people are being marginalized and the RoleM solution has some merit and can be transferred to other contexts ... . if you teach marginalized students anywhere, there will be some points of valid instruction that you can extract and use." (Charles Ashbacher, MAA Reviews, maa.org, June, 2016)