12 th International Congress on Mathematical Education Program Name XX-YY-zz (pp. abcde-fghij) 8 July – 15 July, 2012, COEX, Seoul, Korea (This part is for LOC use only. Please do not change this part.) abcde LESSON STUDY APPROACH TO THE TEACHING OF LINEAR EQUATIONS: A PORTUGUESE CASE OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1 Ana Isabel Silvestre Institute of Education, Univ. of Lisbon & Gaspar Correia School, Lisbon anaisabelsilvestre@gmail.com Cláudia Nunes Institute of Education, Univ. of Lisbon & Fernando Pessoa School, Lisbon cjohnent@gmail.com Hélia Jacinto Institute of Education, Univ. of Lisbon & José Saramago School, Poceirão helia_jacinto@hotmail.com The recent Portuguese mathematics syllabus is challenging teachers to improve their practices to promote students’ successful learning. Hence, teachers are now facing their professional development as essential to such change and innovation in their classroom practice. In this context, the Japanese lesson study (Burghes & Robinson, 2009) emerges as a powerful collaborative practice to support teachers’ professional development that aims to enhance teaching and learning by sharing experiences and reflections. The purpose of this study is to understand how teachers engage in lesson study focusing on the learning of linear equations in the 7 th grade. This study involves three teachers from the same school and two teachers-researchers. The teachers planned a group of three lessons, where students’ would work with the Hands-on Equations ® materials to represent and solve linear equations (Borenson & Barber, 2008). During one week, the lessons were taught by one teacher and were observed by the others, which focused on students’ thinking and responses. After each lesson, the group got together to discuss the outcomes of the lesson and the field notes. Finally, the group reviewed and proposed changes to the lesson. The group found it useful to repeat the observation, discussion and revision cycle. Data collection methods included video and audio records of the teachers’ working sessions and lessons; and documental data such as lesson plans and tasks, students’ productions, teachers’ reflections. The purpose of this poster is to document the lesson study approach used for the first time by these teachers. The poster will present an overview of the study, including its context, methodology and preliminary results using a pictorial representation of this particular lesson study approach. 1 This work was partially supported by Centro de Formação de Loures Oriental. References Borenson, H. & Barber, L. (2008). The Effect of Hands-On Equations on the Learning of Algebra by 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Inner City Students. Borenson and Associates, Inc. Burghes, D. & Robinson, D. (2009). Lesson Study: Enhancing Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Berkshire: CfBT Education Trust.