This paper was designed to investigate the perceptions of four preservice mathematics teachers on the role of scaffolding in supporting and assisting them achieves quality classroom teaching. A collaborative approach to teaching through a community of practice was used to obtain data for the three research objectives that were postulated. Two methods were used to collect data for the research which include classroom observations and the reflection meetings. While the researchers adopted the grounded theory approach to collate and discuss the data collected for the study. The findings of the study suggested that the researchers uses varied approaches to provide scaffolding to the teachers and the teachers' perception of the role of scaffolding was positive as they view scaffolding as providing the opportunity to observe one another's strength and weaknesses. It also provided opportunity for them to discuss, dialogue, debate and criticize one another's thoughts in the process of achieving quality classroom instruction. In conclusion the researchers suggested that scaffolding could be a useful approach to helping teachers achieve quality classroom teaching and to having positive perceptions to teaching in general. The researchers therefore, recommend that the adoption of scaffolding strategies to Nigerian mathematics classroom could help improve the teaching of mathematics.

This paper sought to look at collaboration as an effective tool for mathematics classroom instruction. Four preservice teachers in a qualitative case study taught mathematics to three senior secondary school classes in two secondary schools in Northern Nigeria for a period of 15 weeks spread over three years. During this period 12 students volunteered to participate in four focus group discussions on the effectiveness of the pedagogy in their classrooms. Observations, research journals and focus groups were used to collect data for the study. A Narrative approach to data analysis was used to analyses the data collected. The findings of the study suggested that, the preservice teachers had initial challenges introducing the framework into their classrooms, they, however, gradually adopted the pedagogy into their classroom teaching. The study suggested that the preservice teachers used collaborative groupings and higher ordered questions to foster collaboration among their students. Some benefits of this strategy were also highlighted from the study. Prominent among them was the effective teacher-student and student-student relationship, help students see mathematics problems as common problems and reduced the domineering attitude of mathematics teachers who see themselves as possessing the monopoly of knowledge. Other findings observed in the study include the replacement of the teacher-centered approach to teaching with a student-centered approach. Therefore, it is suggested that, if collaboration is introduced into Nigerian mathematics classrooms, the traditional teacher-controlled mathematics classroom instruction that has bedeviled our classrooms will be reduced, and a new student-centered learning approach will be put in place.

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Mathematics classrooms instruction in Nigeria secondary schools has been termed a major problem to both teachers and their students. Most classroom activities are teacher-centred with students as mere listeners and recipients of knowledge rather than being active initiators of their knowledge. This paper seeks to investigate the effects of introducing inclusion to Nigerian mathematics classroom in combating these problems. Four mathematics teachers taught senior secondary mathematics in three secondary schools in Northern Nigeria for fifteen weeks, adopting the concept of inclusion in their classroom teaching. Using the qualitative case study approach, the researcher used students' interviews and focus group discussions to determine the perceptions, strategies and benefits of using inclusive strategy to mathematics classroom instruction to collect data for this paper. Data collected from focus group interviews were analyzed using grounded theory approach. The results of the study revealed positive changes in students' attitude towards mathematics classroom instructions. This also helped to facilitate students' engagement, collaboration and interest in mathematics during the research as the students felt included in the mathematics classroom instruction. The researchers therefore suggested that adoption of an inclusive mathematics classroom in Nigeria will enable student learning and reduced the teachers domineering attitude during mathematics classroom instruction.