Abstract
Quality of teaching is a major factor in students’ mathematics learning. Stigler and Hiebert (1999) showed that mathematics teaching in Japanese schools is significantly different from what is typically observed in US classrooms. However, Japanese mathematics educators claim that Japanese mathematics teaching has transformed significantly over the last 50 years. Although teaching is influenced by a variety of factors, textbooks play a significant role in what mathematics is taught and how it is taught. In other words, textbooks may significantly influence students’ opportunities to learn. Thus, six editions of a Japanese elementary school mathematics series since 1958 were analyzed to identify any change that might indicate the transformation of mathematics instruction in Japan. The analysis revealed that the features included in the series have changed over the years to support more explicitly the problem-solving-based mathematics instruction described by Stigler and Hiebert (1999).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Because some of the old editions obtained for the analysis did not include the publication years, in this manuscript these editions are referenced by the corresponding COS years.
- 2.
In the Japanese convention, the first factor in a multiplication expression represents the multiplier. In this textbook series, multiplication (and division) of fractions by whole numbers is discussed before the unit on multiplication by fractions, sometimes in grade 5 and sometimes in grade 6, depending on the COS. This is done so because students can continue to use the equal group interpretation as long as the multiplier is a whole number. When the multiplier becomes something other than a whole number, students must expand their interpretation of the multiplication operation, in addition to thinking about the calculation process.
References
Brown, M. W. (2009). The teacher-tool relationship: Theorizing the design and use of curriculum materials. In J. T. Remillard, B. A. Herbel-Eisenmann, & G. M. Lloyd (Eds.), Mathematics teachers at work: Connecting curriculum materials and classroom instruction (pp. 17–36). New York: Routledge.
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2010). Common core state standards for Mathematics. http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_Math%20Standards.pdf
Japan Society of Mathematical Education. (2001). Sansuujugyou no houhou ni kansuru chosa no kekka. (Results of a survey of elementary school mathematics lesson format.) 83(2), 31–42 (in Japanese).
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2010). Transforming teacher education through clinical practice: A national strategy to prepare effective teachers. Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Clinical Preparation and Partnerships for Improved Student Learning. Washington, DC: The Council.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (1980). Agenda for action. Reston: The Council.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston: The Council.
National Mathematics Advisory Panel. (2008). Foundations for success: The final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
Nunokawa, K. (2012). Multi-relation strategy in students’ use of a representation for proportional reasoning. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science, & Technology Education, 8(4), 167–182.
Shimahara, N. K., & Sakai, A. (1995). Learning to teach in two cultures: Japan and the United States. New York: Garland Publishing.
Stevenson, H. W., & Stigler, J. W. (1992). The learning gap: Why our schools are failing and what we can learn from Japanese and Chinese education. New York: Summit Books.
Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (1998). Teaching is a cultural activity. American Educator, 22(4), 4–11.
Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap: Best ideas from the world’s teachers for improving education in the classroom. New York: The Free Press.
Takahashi, A. (2011). The Japanese approach to developing expertise in using the textbook to teach mathematics. In Y. Li & G. Kaiser (Eds.), Expertise in mathematics instruction: An international perspective (pp. 197–219). New York: Springer.
Watanabe, T. (2001). Content and organization of teachers’ manuals: An analysis of Japanese elementary mathematics teachers’ manuals. School Science and Mathematics, 101, 194–205.
Watanabe, T., Takahashi, A., & Yoshida, M. (2010). Supporting focused and cohesive curricula through visual representations: An example from Japanese textbooks. In B. Reys & R. Reys (Eds.), Mathematics curriculum: Issues, trends, and future directions (NCTM seventy-second yearbook, pp. 131–144). Reston: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Watanabe, T. (2014). Transformation of Japanese Elementary Mathematics Textbooks: 1958–2012. In: Li, Y., Silver, E., Li, S. (eds) Transforming Mathematics Instruction. Advances in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04993-9_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04993-9_12
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-04992-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-04993-9
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)