Effective Mathematics Lesson from the Lenses of Primary Pupils: Preliminary Analysis

This paper discusses the preliminary findings of a larger study which aims to explore the elements of effective mathematics lessons that are valued by primary pupils and teachers. The study involved six “Excellent Teachers” and thirty six pupils. Three lessons of each teacher were observed. During the observation, selected pupils took photographs of the moments they perceived the lesson as effective. Then, a focus group photo-eliciting interview was conducted with pupils followed by in-depth interview with the teacher. Preliminary analysis of the data showed that the primary pupils valued “concrete examples”, “learning through mistake”, “board work” and “shortcut and tips”.