The effect of stimulating immigrant and national pupils’ helping behaviour during cooperative learning in classrooms on their maths‐related talk

Abstract

This study examined whether stimulation of immigrant and national pupils’ use of high‐quality helping behaviour (experimental condition) during cooperative learning (CL) in classrooms boosts their maths‐related talk more than in an educational situation in which such stimulation is largely absent (control condition). A total of 59 elementary‐age pupils enrolled in a CL maths curriculum of 11 lessons. They were video taped during two lessons while working together on maths assignments to assess their maths‐related talk. We found that the quality of maths‐related talk was higher in the experimental condition. Furthermore, immigrant pupils’ used less maths‐related talk than the national pupils. Implications are discussed.

Keywords:

• cooperative learning
• helping behaviour
• maths‐related talk
• immigrant pupils
• elementary schools