Teachers’ Use of Motivational Messages While Teaching Fractions

In this study, our team observed sixth-grade teachers as they taught fractions to students in their mathematics intervention classes to see whether they were including motivational-supportive messages within the framework of Situated Expectancy–Value Theory. Messages in the intervention lessons and teacher transcripts were explored and analyzed, comparing teachers taking part in the experimental fractions intervention and teachers teaching business-as-usual. The fraction lessons and motivational messages were coded via teachers’ audio recordings over the span of 15 weeks (24 lessons). Findings revealed that teachers in the experimental group used significantly more motivationally supportive messages than the teachers in the control group, and they made deeper connections between content and students’ lives. These results imply that the use of an intervention including motivational messages can further promote teachers’ use of motivational strategies while teaching mathematical content.