Planning and anticipating early years students' mathematical responses

This paper reports on early years teachers and how often they should devote planning time to anticipating student responses in advance of the lesson. Sixty-five Foundation to Year 2 teachers (students 5-8 years of age) completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of a year-long research-based professional development program. Participants were learning to teach with sequences of challenging tasks. Post- program data showed a shift in the frequency of time participants believed teachers should devote to anticipating student responses prior to teaching. Supporting teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching with an emphasis on how they plan and anticipate student responses has implications for improving practice and student outcomes.