Reflecting on reflections of pre-service teachers' application of theory in practice

Abstract

This paper explores the role of the Maths4Primary Teachers (Roberts et al., 2023) module in enhancing Foundation Phase pre-service teachers' (PSTs) understanding of additive relations through an analysis of their reflections. Grounded in cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), the study examines the PSTs' reflections to understand how structured mathematical interventions support them in developing conceptual knowledge essential for teaching early numeracy. The findings contribute to the discourse on supporting initial teacher education by showcasing how, through harnessing deep and iterative reflection using CHAT, teacher educators can strengthen mathematical proficiency among future educators.