Finding a Common Discourse: How do School Psychologists and Teachers Conceptualize Number Sense?

Summary

This study seeks to identify how school psychologists and teachers understand number sense. In some ways, teachers and school psychologists work together to help kids learn math. But, whether the two groups have similar understanding of number sense is unknown. In fact, the two groups may understand number sense in very different ways. In education and psychology research, there are differences in how "number sense" is understood (see Alcock et al., 2016; Berch, 2005; Osana & Proulx, 2018). But, it is unclear whether these differences extend to those currently working with students. As a result, the goal of this study is to identify how working school psychologists and teachers understand number sense. Then, a shared understanding of number sense will be presented. It is hoped that a shared understanding of number sense will help school psychologists and teachers work together. As a result, it is expected that the results can help support effective service delivery.