The causes of students? difficulties encountered during the task implementation in mathematics teaching and types of teachers? interventions

This thesis aims to explore the causes of students? difficulties and teachers? ways of handling these difficulties during the mathematical task implementation. This study is a case study and hence qualitative in nature. A group of 5 elementary mathematics and classroom teachers? 6 lessons are videotaped and analysed in order to determine the causes of students? difficulties and teachers? ways of handling these difficulties. The data analysis shows that `task instructions?, `teachers? interventions?, `instructional materials? and `students? related factors? were the causes of students? difficulties encountered during the mathematical task implementation. The data analysis with regard to teachers? types of handling the difficulties reveals that teachers employed `ignoring?, `telling the correct answer?, `telling students to be careful?, `repeating the question or re-explaining?, `questioning? and `presenting the difficulty to classroom discussion? types of intervention to respond the difficulties encountered. Alongside students-related factors, the findings suggest that teachers and teachers-related factors played a significant role in the occurrence of students? difficulties. The findings also suggest that teachers mainly preferred `ignoring? and `telling the correct answer? types of intervention in handling students? difficulties. It is, overall, apparent that mathematical task implementation is not a straightforward endeavour and that the implementation process incorporates the happenings of students? difficulties and teachers? ways of handling these difficulties. It is thus important to have an awareness regarding of the causes of students? difficulties and types of teachers? handlings these difficulties during the implementation process as such an awareness can be of the most importance for the effective task implementation as well as mathematical learning of the students.Key Words: Mathematical Task Design, Students Difficulties, Teachers Interventions, Professional Development