The study of functions is a critical route into teaching and learning algebra in the elementary grades, yet important questions remain regarding the nature of young children's understanding of functions. This article reports an empirically developed learning trajectory in first-grade children's (6-year-olds') thinking about generalizing functional…

The findings discussed here are a small part of a larger study entitled, "Encouraging Persistence Maintaining Challenge". The paper reports five teachers' observations of the implementation of a task which was new to them. The teachers were asked to identify aspects of the task which they perceived as challenging for the Year 6 students.…

As learning trajectories gain traction in mathematics education, we seek to understand the ways in which teachers may use them in interactions with students. This paper reports on one group of elementary teachers' use of their emerging knowledge of a learning trajectory to examine key pedagogical practices. Findings suggest that a learning…