Characteristics of Japanese Mathematics Lessons

CHARACTERISTICS OF
JAPANESE MATHEMATICS
LESSONS
Akihiko Takahashi
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois
Typical flow of a mathematics class
Demonstrates a procedure Presents a problem to the

students without first
Assigned similar problems to
demonstrating how to solve
students as exercises the problem
Homework assignment Individual or group problem
solving
Compare and discuss multiple
solution methods
Summary, exercises and
homework assignment
1
Major Reform Movement In Japan
During the 1970s and 1980s
Traditional classroom that

focuses on teachers’ instruction
student-centered classroom that

focuses on students’
engagement in mathematical
activities.
Problem Solving
Based on Polya’s (1945) four phases of problem solving work
In the U.S. In Japan

Problem Solving as an approach to Problem solving as a powerful
develop problem-solving skills and approach for developing
strategies. mathematical concepts and skills.
Problem-solving lessons Problem-solving lessons
For developing problem-solving throughout the curriculum in order
skills and strategies to develop mathematical concepts,
skills, and procedures.
often end when each student comes
up with a solution to the problem. Neriage becomes important
2
Characteristics Of Japanese
Mathematics Lessons
Teachers appear to take a less active role,
allowing their students to invent their own
procedures for solving problems. And those
problems are quite demanding, both
procedurally and conceptually.
Teacher, however, carefully design and
orchestrate lessons so that students are likely
to use procedures that have been developed
recently in class. An appropriate motto for
Japanese teaching would be
“structured problem solving”
solving”
(Stigler, Hiebert 1999)
Historically, Japanese mathematics teaching and learning has been

focused on developing mathematical thinking skills by using a variety of
story problems.
Japanese structured problem solving was built on the firm foundation of
emphasizing story problems in mathematics teaching and learning.
Based on the existing resources of story problems and of lesson plans
focusing on promoting mathematical thinking, Japanese teachers,
researchers, and administrators worked collaboratively through Lesson
Study
to create interest in mathematics, and to stimulate creative mathematical
activity in the classroom during the collaborative work of students.
3
Three Major Characteristics of the
Structured Problem Solving
Carefully selected word problems and activities, and

their cohesiveness
Extensive discussion (Neriage)
Emphasis on blackboard practice (Bansho)
Carefully Selected Word Problems and

Activities, and Their Cohesiveness
Each lesson is designed around solving a single

problem to achieve a single objective in a topic
Examples from a Japanese mathematics textbook
series
4
To Develop the Concepts and Skills for Finding the Area of Basic Figures
5
To Extend Their Capacity
to Use These Formulas on
Irregular Shapes
Building upon what they

learned in the fourth grade,
students in the fifth grade
are given opportunities to
develop the formulas for
finding the area of a
parallelogram, triangle,
trapezoid, rhombus, regular
polygon, and circle.
6
Extensive Discussion (Neriage)
One of the most important roles of the
teacher during a lesson is to facilitate
mathematical discussion after each
student comes up with a solution
Because the goal is to develop
students’ understanding of
mathematical concepts and skills, a
teacher is expected to facilitate
mathematical discussion for students to
achieve this goal
This discussion is often called Neriage
in Japanese, which implies polishing
ideas.
In order to do this, teachers need a
clear plan for the discussion as a part
of their lesson plans, which will
anticipate the variety of solution
methods that their students might bring
to the discussion
Emphasis on Blackboard Practice (Bansho)

To compare, contrast, and discuss ideas that
students present
To help to organize student thinking and
discovery of new ideas
Figure 4: Use of blackboard (Bansho)
7
Conclusion
Japanese mathematics teaching, especially for

elementary grades, includes a significant amount of
problem solving in order to provide students the
environment to construct their understanding of
concepts and procedures in mathematics.
The characteristics of Japanese mathematics lessons
are the result of collaboration among Japanese
educators, researchers, and policymakers, including
efforts from the lesson study practitioners.
The effort to improve mathematics teaching and
learning is still ongoing.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF

Typical flow of a mathematics class

Demonstrates a procedure Presents a problem to the

Traditional classroom that

student-centered classroom that

In the U.S. In Japan

Historically, Japanese mathematics teaching and learning has been

Carefully selected word problems and activities, and

Carefully Selected Word Problems and

Each lesson is designed around solving a single

Building upon what they

Emphasis on Blackboard Practice (Bansho)

Figure 4: Use of blackboard (Bansho)

Japanese mathematics teaching, especially for

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