Pre-service teacher professional noticing for teaching mathematics

Students with disabilities and/or those who have difficulty learning mathematical concepts can be found in almost every classroom. Over the last several decades, the responsibilities and roles of general and special education educators have shifted, blurring the conventionally held boundaries between special education and general education teachers and their pedagogical practices. Both special education and general education teachers are expected to provide an optimal mathematical instructional experience to all students. One way to best prepare novice teachers for this task is by increasing their overall Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The purpose of this study is to contribute to research about specific components of a pre-service teacher's PCK. This research utilized a cross-sectional research design in its study of a representative sample of preservice teachers at specific moments in time during their teacher preparation program. Mathematical content knowledge and teachers' beliefs regarding the teaching of mathematics were found to have a statistically significant impact on professional noticing. Although not statistically significant, the differences the choice of a major had on a teacher's noticing ability requires further investigation. This study addresses an important gap in the research literature on noticing in that it includes special education teachers. Additionally, the study provides concrete recommendations for teacher preparation programing and suggestions for future research.