The relationship between teachers’ instructional practices and their learners’ level of geometrical thinking
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Date
2013
Authors
Bleeker, Cheryl
Stols, Gerrit
Van Putten, Sonja
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Education, University of the Free State
Abstract
This case study describes and investigates the instructional practices of Grades 1
to 5 teachers and the levels of geometry thinking of the learners, according to the
Van Hiele model, with a view to determining whether there is a match between the
instructional practice and the learners’ level of thinking. The instructional practices
of the teachers were observed and analysed, and their learners’ levels of geometry
thinking were accessed through a Van Hiele test. The results suggest that there is
not a simple relationship between the phases of learning, as described by Crowley
in 1987, and geometric development in terms of the Van Hiele levels. It is, however,
possible to explain the geometric development to a limited extent in terms of the Van
Hiele levels of the observed teaching activities. Although the presence of activities on
an appropriate level does not guarantee growth in terms of the Van Hiele model, the
absence thereof results in stagnation. The instructional practices in primary schools
in all Grades should span geometry experiences on all the levels, because the previsualisation
level and Van Hiele Level 1 thinking are still evident up to Grade 5.
Description
Keywords
Geometry, Van Hiele theory, Instructional practice, Level of thinking, Mathematics
Citation
Bleeker, C., Stols, G., & Van Putten, S. (2013). The relationship between teachers' instructional practices and their learners' level of geometrical thinking. Perspectives in Education: Primary mathematics: addressing the crisis, 31(3), 66-78.