Students were able to communicate their thinking to explain how to solve math problems, which lead to higher student achievement on tests, an increase in their ability to make sense of challenging problems, and communicate their mathematical reasoning. It can be concluded that writing in math is an effective strategy when aiming to increase student achievement. The use of math journals allowed students to slow down their thinking and process through finding solutions piece by piece, rather than solely focusing on the final answer. Observations provided an opportunity to witness how students were processing new information and relating them to previously taught concepts. The Likert Scale demonstrated how students' feelings changed over the course of the study about math and themselves as mathematicians. Finally, the pre-test and the post-test presented the overall growth of students over the course of this study. All of these components provided me with insight into how I should adjust my teaching practices and if these strategies were beneficial to students. They also demonstrated that students could effectively communicate their thinking about mathematics that increased their overall performance in math. The study was effective in allowing students to gain ownership of communicating their mathematical thinking that in turn increased their understanding of various mathematical concepts.
Did the environment (COVID-19, masks, distancing, and absences) have an effect on student achievement and their ability to acquire mathematical knowledge and understanding?
What portion of the growth seen was typical growth gained during the school year compared to when students were intentionally taught written communication strategies?
Would I have seen a higher level of growth if I used this strategy in other subjects in my classroom?
Why did the overall percentage for question five drop from the pre-test to the post-test?
Would have I seen the same results if I included all students in my study when they were receiving whole-group instruction from a different teacher?
If the study was completed over one concept, rather than multiple, would have I seen similar results?