Lehrende unterstützen Lernende beim mathematischen Argumentieren mit Feedback-Dialogen – eine Mixed Methods-Studie

In a sequential explanatory mixed methods study (MMS), we assessed the quality of feedback dialogues (QFD) between teachers and individual learners during mathematical reasoning lessons and examined learner progress after a 9-week intervention in fifth and sixth grade primary school classes. Highest and lowest QFD values as well as highest and lowest class-related learning gain formed the quantitative criteria for the selection of two teachers each, who we interviewed and qualitatively analysed with regard to ‘beliefs about mathematical reasoning’ and its ‘support with feedback’. The resulting dispositions were compared with the QFD as externally assessed behaviour and student achievement. The interviews reflect almost uniform, (social) constructivist, structure- and communication-orientated dispositions. Only the two teachers with the lowest class-related progress stand out with instructional dispositions and suggest an unfavourable relationship between the teacher’s attitude and class-related progress. The question of why two classes made maximum progress answered we against the background of the teaching and learning conditions: Small classes, few children with German as a second language and additional support needs explain the progress rather than the quantitative selection criteria. The study contributes to the clarification of the subjective dispositions behind the intersubjectively assessed support for mathematical reasoning and behind the explanation of class-related progress.