Mathematics teachers’ classroom practices: an observational study conducted in the Central Province of Sri Lanka

The current study explored the strengths and weaknesses of classroom practices of mathematics teachers and the association between those practices with selected teacher characteristics. Observational data collected from a sample of 49 Grade 7 mathematics lessons in 49 schools relating to 49 teachers in the Central Province of Sri Lanka were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The analysis of quantitative data revealed that teachers’ classroom practices related to all five standards considered in the study need improvement while specific attention is necessary for improving adaptive teaching, stimulating learning environments and teaching-learning strategies. Qualitative data also supported the above findings and provided further insights into strengths and weaknesses of mathematics teachers’ classroom practices. Teachers’ classroom practices relevant to all five standards are independent of their gender, medium of instruction, and professional qualifications. However, Teachers who offered mathematics as a subject in their bachelor’s degree programme or at the GCE (A/L) were more likely to use a few of the best practices relevant to the standards of effective classroom management and clear instructions than the teachers who studied mathematics only up to GCE (O/L). Implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for improvement of mathematics teachers’ classroom practices are presented.