Math Conferences in Higher Education

Abstract

This article describes the use of maths conferences as a teaching methodology in higher education to develop professional teaching skills amongst trainee primary school teachers. Starting with semi-written addition, students experience a shift in perspective: they analyse children’s solutions, reflect on mathematical language and practise leading discussions. Combining this with the Think-Pair-Share method supports diagnostic skills, language development and communicative competence. The focus is on the question of what learning opportunities the maths conference, as a communicative format in higher education, opens up, and to what extent this can generate impetus for professional perception, diagnosis and language-sensitive action, as well as perspectives that extend beyond mathematics. The article highlights potential for transfer and identifies a research gap.