The rules and goals of the games draw learners’ attention to the relevant mathematical information and how they can use it to succeed. Another way to say this is that the games and activities support the practice of making mathematical expectations explicit. According to Wilson et al. (2019), making mathematical expectations explicit is one effective way to support Black learners. This practice may benefit other learners, too.
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References
Wilson, Jonee, Mahtab Nazemi, Kara Jackson, and Anne Garrison Wilhelm. 2019. “Investigating Teaching in Conceptually Oriented Mathematics Classrooms Characterized by African American Student Success.” Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 50(4):362-400.
July 14, 2020