FEEDBACK AND REGULATION OF LEARNING IN ALGEBRA IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Prepublication

Abstract

This study examines the assessment practices of a Grade 6 teacher in an Ontario elementary school context, focusing on the forms of feedback that emerge during algebraic tasks involving equations and inequalities. Grounded in a qualitative interpretive approach and a single case study design, the research combines a thematic analysis of a semi-structured interview with observations of two recorded classroom sessions. These data are analyzed through a framework integrating the regulatory function of feedback (Allal, 2016), its content (Hattie & Timperley, 2007), and the specific challenges related to the development of algebraic thinking at the elementary level (Kieran, 2004 ; Squalli, 2020). The findings reveal a coherent formative orientation between reported beliefs and observed practices: interactive regulation predominates, open questioning is favored over direct instruction, and process-oriented feedback supports the transition from arithmetic to analytical reasoning. However, tensions emerge between the in-task interactions and certain end-of-sequence practices: explicit consolidation of algebraic knowledge is less systematic, the institutionalization of learning remains partial, and student self-regulation is not strongly visible in the observed interactions. These findings, interpreted with caution given the limited dataset of two sessions, do not indicate structural inconsistencies but rather reflect the inherent tensions involved in exercising professional judgment within the context of complex algebra instruction.