Teachers' Use of Un–nominated Student Utterances in Class: A Case Analysis of Situations in Which the Lesson Plan was Changed

Abstract

This study clarified how the teacher responds to un–nominated students in their classes and how the teacher utilizes their utterances by comparing the original lesson plan with the actual lesson. The study focused on secondgrade elementary school mathematics classes. Category analysis was performed on the teachers' responses to un-nominated students. The lesson plan was compared with the actual lesson, and the cases were classified and analyzed. The results clarified the following three aspects: (1) the teacher accepted un-nominated student utterances, (2) the teachers' lesson plans were changed as a result of responding to the utterances, and (3) the teacher changed the lesson plan in response to the utterances with the intention of deepening student learning. By asking for additional explanation when connecting students' utterances with the lesson plan, the teacher raised questions that were relevant to the content of the lesson plan as interpreted through the utterances. Although the response differed from the original lesson plan, students' questions were considered, shared, and re-voiced. The teacher flexibly changed the lesson plan and tailored discussion to students' questions.