Esta dissertação é um estudo sobre o uso de jogos de improvisação na iniciação coletiva ao violoncelo. O objetivo desta pesquisa, realizada no âmbito do Programa de Pós- Graduação em Música da Escola de Comunicações e Artes da Universidade de São Paulo, foi investigar a implementação de modelos de jogos de improvisação, já empregados em outros grupos de educandos, na iniciação coletiva ao violoncelo, com o intuito de proporcionar a aproximação dos estudantes com as poéticas da música contemporânea. O procedimento metodológico elencado para o trabalho foi a pesquisa-ação, a qual foi realizada em três instituições de ensino do estado de São Paulo: o Instituto Baccarelli, o Projeto Guri-Polo de Indaiatuba e o Instituto Fukuda. Foram utilizados como instrumentos e técnicas de coleta de dados a observação participante, o diário de campo, a aplicação de questionário junto a vinte e quatro estudantes e de entrevistas semiestruturadas junto a quatro professores que participaram das atividades, anotações feitas pelos estudantes após a realização dos encontros e a gravação em vídeo de algumas atividades propostas. A análise dos dados foi estruturada a partir das considerações dos alunos e dos professores participantes, sendo que essas foram abordadas em relação às referências bibliográficas consultadas e à observação das atividades relatadas em diário de campo, com o suporte das gravações em vídeo. Após a análise dos dados, foi possível perceber que, na implementação dos jogos elaborados, baseados a partir das proposições de Delalande (2001), Gainza (2009), Brito (2003, 2011), Freixedas (2015) e Cruz (2017), a maioria dos alunos compreendeu as propostas das atividades como jogo e criação musical. Grande parte dos estudantes relatou que se sentiu confortável ao praticar os jogos de improvisação, reconhecendo a construção de narrativas musicais nas atividades, a possibilidade de maior integração com seus colegas de classe, a compreensão de processos de criação musical e a aproximação com poéticas da música contemporânea. Os professores envolvidos destacaram o desenvolvimento da criatividade e dos processos de aprendizagem coletiva proporcionados pelas atividades, ressaltando, porém, a necessidade de contextualização das propostas dentro de um modelo de ensino tradicional. O trabalho aponta para possíveis desdobramentos para a área da educação musical, configurando-se como uma possibilidade de aplicação de jogos de improvisação na iniciação coletiva de um instrumento musical, bem como possibilitando sua implementação no ensino e aprendizagem de outros instrumentos de cordas friccionadas, além de oferecer subsídios para a configuração de propostas semelhantes direcionadas a outros níveis de aprendizagem ao violoncelo. / This dissertation is a study on the use of improvisation games in group cello lessons. The goal of this research, conducted during the Graduate Music Program at São Paulo University, was to investigate the implementation of improvisation games, already applied in other groups of students, in the collective initiation to the cello, with the purpose of promoting the approximation of students with the poetics of contemporary music. The methodological procedure listed for this work was the research-action, applied in three educational institutions of the state of São Paulo: Instituto Baccarelli, Projeto Guri and Instituto Fukuda. Participant observation, field diary, the application of a questionnaire to twenty-for students and semistructured interviews with the for teachers who participated in the activities, notes written by the students after the activities and the video recording of some the activities were used as instruments and techniques of data collection. The analysis of the data was structured based on the students\' and the participating teachers\' considerations and this were approached in relation to the consulted bibliographical references and to the observation of the activities reported in the field diary, with the support of video recordings. After analysing the data, it was possible to notice that in the implementation of the games, based on the propositions of Delalande (2001), Gainza (2009), Brito (2003, 2011), Freixedas (2015) e Cruz (2017), most of the students understood most the proposals of the activities such a game and music creation. Most of the students reported that felt comfortable playing improvisational games, recognizing the construction of musical narratives in the activities, the possibility of greater integration with their classmates, the understanding of the processes of music creation and the approach with poetics of contemporary music. The teachers involved highlighted the development of the creativity and group teaching provided by the activities, emphasizing, however, the need to contextualize the proposals within a traditional teaching model. This work indicates possible developments in the area of music education, being configured as a possibility for the application of improvisation games in the group teaching, as well as enabling its implementation in the teaching and learning of other strings instruments, besides providing support for setting up similar proposals aimed at the other levels of celli learning.

Esta dissertação é um estudo sobre o uso de jogos de improvisação na iniciação coletiva ao violoncelo. O objetivo desta pesquisa, realizada no âmbito do Programa de Pós- Graduação em Música da Escola de Comunicações e Artes da Universidade de São Paulo, foi investigar a implementação de modelos de jogos de improvisação, já empregados em outros grupos de educandos, na iniciação coletiva ao violoncelo, com o intuito de proporcionar a aproximação dos estudantes com as poéticas da música contemporânea. O procedimento metodológico elencado para o trabalho foi a pesquisa-ação, a qual foi realizada em três instituições de ensino do estado de São Paulo: o Instituto Baccarelli, o Projeto Guri-Polo de Indaiatuba e o Instituto Fukuda. Foram utilizados como instrumentos e técnicas de coleta de dados a observação participante, o diário de campo, a aplicação de questionário junto a vinte e quatro estudantes e de entrevistas semiestruturadas junto a quatro professores que participaram das atividades, anotações feitas pelos estudantes após a realização dos encontros e a gravação em vídeo de algumas atividades propostas. A análise dos dados foi estruturada a partir das considerações dos alunos e dos professores participantes, sendo que essas foram abordadas em relação às referências bibliográficas consultadas e à observação das atividades relatadas em diário de campo, com o suporte das gravações em vídeo. Após a análise dos dados, foi possível perceber que, na implementação dos jogos elaborados, baseados a partir das proposições de Delalande (2001), Gainza (2009), Brito (2003, 2011), Freixedas (2015) e Cruz (2017), a maioria dos alunos compreendeu as propostas das atividades como jogo e criação musical. Grande parte dos estudantes relatou que se sentiu confortável ao praticar os jogos de improvisação, reconhecendo a construção de narrativas musicais nas atividades, a possibilidade de maior integração com seus colegas de classe, a compreensão de processos de criação musical e a aproximação com poéticas da música contemporânea. Os professores envolvidos destacaram o desenvolvimento da criatividade e dos processos de aprendizagem coletiva proporcionados pelas atividades, ressaltando, porém, a necessidade de contextualização das propostas dentro de um modelo de ensino tradicional. O trabalho aponta para possíveis desdobramentos para a área da educação musical, configurando-se como uma possibilidade de aplicação de jogos de improvisação na iniciação coletiva de um instrumento musical, bem como possibilitando sua implementação no ensino e aprendizagem de outros instrumentos de cordas friccionadas, além de oferecer subsídios para a configuração de propostas semelhantes direcionadas a outros níveis de aprendizagem ao violoncelo. / This dissertation is a study on the use of improvisation games in group cello lessons. The goal of this research, conducted during the Graduate Music Program at São Paulo University, was to investigate the implementation of improvisation games, already applied in other groups of students, in the collective initiation to the cello, with the purpose of promoting the approximation of students with the poetics of contemporary music. The methodological procedure listed for this work was the research-action, applied in three educational institutions of the state of São Paulo: Instituto Baccarelli, Projeto Guri and Instituto Fukuda. Participant observation, field diary, the application of a questionnaire to twenty-for students and semistructured interviews with the for teachers who participated in the activities, notes written by the students after the activities and the video recording of some the activities were used as instruments and techniques of data collection. The analysis of the data was structured based on the students\' and the participating teachers\' considerations and this were approached in relation to the consulted bibliographical references and to the observation of the activities reported in the field diary, with the support of video recordings. After analysing the data, it was possible to notice that in the implementation of the games, based on the propositions of Delalande (2001), Gainza (2009), Brito (2003, 2011), Freixedas (2015) e Cruz (2017), most of the students understood most the proposals of the activities such a game and music creation. Most of the students reported that felt comfortable playing improvisational games, recognizing the construction of musical narratives in the activities, the possibility of greater integration with their classmates, the understanding of the processes of music creation and the approach with poetics of contemporary music. The teachers involved highlighted the development of the creativity and group teaching provided by the activities, emphasizing, however, the need to contextualize the proposals within a traditional teaching model. This work indicates possible developments in the area of music education, being configured as a possibility for the application of improvisation games in the group teaching, as well as enabling its implementation in the teaching and learning of other strings instruments, besides providing support for setting up similar proposals aimed at the other levels of celli learning.

Den här studien syftar till att belysa hur musiklärare som undervisar grupper med funktionsnedsatta elever, förhåller sig till sin egen musikundervisning. För att närma mig musiklärarnas olika förhållningssätt valde jag att använda den kvalitativa intervjun som forskningsmetod. Hanken och Johansens (1998) kategorier för den pedagogiska grundsynen hos en musiklärare utgör en stor del av de teoretiska utgångspunkterna för studien. Jag har bland annat jämfört och placerat in informanterna i Hanken och Johansens kategorier för att på så sätt få fram en tydligare bild av informanternas undervisning. Resultatet visar tydligt att elevernas funktionsnedsättning inte påverkar målet med informanternas undervisning. Det som skiljer musikundervisning för elever med funktionsnedsättning från elever utan funktionsnedsättning är framförallt undervisningssättet och metoden. En slutsats jag kommit fram till är att det krävs en grundläggande kompetens i musikämnet, och framför allt en vid pedagogisk grundsyn samt ett intresse och engagemang för den enskilde elevens situation för att kunna bemöta och tillgodose dennes behov. / The purpose of this study is to highlight how music teachers who, when teaching groups of disabled pupils, relate to their own education. In approaching the teachers’ various relations to their education, I have chosen to use the qualitative interview as my research method. A large extent of the theoretical foundation in this study is based on Hanken and Johansen’s (1998) categories for the pedagogical fundamental view as a music teacher. In order to obtain a clearer understanding of the teachers’ education, I have compared and placed the teachers included in this study, into these categories. The result clearly shows that the disabilities of the pupils do not affect the objectives in regard to the teachers’ education. That which distinguishes the education for pupils with disabilities from pupils without disabilities, is primarily the teaching method. I have concluded that, in order to meet the needs of the pupil, basic competency in music is a prerequisite and above all, a pedagogical fundamental view and an interest and commitment to the situation of each individual pupil.

An illuminative evaluation of the final year prosthodontic component of the Oral Health Science curriculum (OHSC 501 Component 1) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa was conducted. This evaluation method was employed to illustrate how an evaluation strategy was used to assess classroom practices following institutional curriculum reform. The aim was to use a qualitative evaluation process to assess the impact of the curriculum change at classroom level and to evaluate how a department had reformed its’ teaching and learning strategies within the hybrid problem based learning curriculum that had been implemented. Additionally, it was to evaluate how this curriculum operated in its own terms. From July through October 2007 small group teaching involving problem based learning, led by two faculty from the department of prosthodontics were observed. Six two hour long small group sessions (equivalent to twelve forty minute lessons), were observed and they revealed a variety of pedagogic strategies utilised. The plan, as outlined in the instructional system was held up against the reality through observations of what happened in the classroom. By and large the findings illustrate that much of what was planned was realised, with the more experienced staff member teaching more or less to the plan. However, from the themes that were inductively derived from analysis of the data, it was clear that integration of content knowledge and critical thinking necessary to assist in the comprehensive management of dental patients was not as robust as would be expected from the students at this level during their training. As part of the objectives of the curriculum innovation instituted, content knowledge integration and critical thinking skills are key to the success of the innovation and employing illuminative evaluation methodology afforded the opportunity to delve deeper into these. This finding illustrates the importance of using qualitative evaluation approaches as a mechanism to assess curriculum change efforts.

<p>The purpose of this study is, on one hand, to obtain an understanding of how children in municipal music- and culture schools choose instruments and what forms of recruitment methods they are subjected to, and on the other hand, how you can make them continue to play once they have begun.</p><p>To acquire this information, I have interviewed five music teachers and two principals at municipal music- and culture schools in Värmland. The questions treated, among other things, what affects children’s instrument preferences, recruitment methods and what you can do to keep interest for the chosen instrument alive.</p><p>The result of the study shows some apparent tendencies. Even though some of the instruments have trouble recruiting students and other instruments have trouble keeping them, the old methods, which obviously do not work in a satisfactory manner, are still being used. Instead, increased commitment at the occasion of recruitment, more group teaching which strengthens the social bonds through role models and a will to have the courage to change the organization when it does not work, is required.</p>

The purpose of this study is, on one hand, to obtain an understanding of how children in municipal music- and culture schools choose instruments and what forms of recruitment methods they are subjected to, and on the other hand, how you can make them continue to play once they have begun. To acquire this information, I have interviewed five music teachers and two principals at municipal music- and culture schools in Värmland. The questions treated, among other things, what affects children’s instrument preferences, recruitment methods and what you can do to keep interest for the chosen instrument alive. The result of the study shows some apparent tendencies. Even though some of the instruments have trouble recruiting students and other instruments have trouble keeping them, the old methods, which obviously do not work in a satisfactory manner, are still being used. Instead, increased commitment at the occasion of recruitment, more group teaching which strengthens the social bonds through role models and a will to have the courage to change the organization when it does not work, is required.

Syftet med studien är att ta reda på hur några afroensemblelärare på gymnasiets estetiska program arbetar för att stimulera gruppdynamiska processer i sin undervisning. Tidigare litteratur i ämnet belyser begreppen grupp och gruppdynamik, roller i gruppen, den musicerande gruppen samt att leda en grupp. Tidigare forskning tar upp en av rock- och pop-undervisningen paradoxer, den att en genres utförare enligt tradition varit självlärda men nu institutions-undervisas. Vidare presenteras olika lärartyper. Som metod används kvalitativa intervjuer enligt hermeneutiskteori och halvstrukturerad intervju som tillvägagångssätt för att samla information. Fyra ensemblelärare på gymnasiet har intervjuats. Som teoretisk utgångspunkt har det sociokulturella perspektivet använts, vilket tar upp det sociala samspelet i samband med lärande. Resultatkapitlet förklarar informanternas syn på ledarrollen, vikten av gruppsammansättning och gruppdynamik. Slutligen görs en jämförelse och sammanfattning av resultatet. Vid en rangordning av de faktorer som informanterna anser är viktigast hamnar elevens inställning och drivkraft högst, ledarrollen hamnar på andra plats, därefter kommer nivåanpassade grupper och sist olika socialt utformade och anpassade grupper med förlåtande eller krävande klimat. I diskussions-kapitlet är det ett tydligt fokus på ledarrollen och alla intervjuade har haft olika åsikter om betydelse och ansvar. Även om de inte varit överens om sin egen betydelse har de varit överens om vikten av att vara dynamisk som ledare och ha förmågan att dels kunna anpassa sig efter gruppens inställning och musikaliska förutsättningar, dels de fysiska förutsättningarna så som lokalstorlek antal instrument mm. Det råder också någorlunda konsensus om att en lågpresterande grupp behöver en auktoritär, inspirerande och tydlig ledare, och nästan helt tvättom när det gäller motsatsen. / The purpose of the study is to find out how some aphrodisiac teachers in the upper secondary school's aesthetic program work to stimulate group dynamic processes in their teaching. Previous literature on the subject highlights the concepts group and group dynamics, roles in the group, the music-making group and leading a group. Previous research addresses one of the rock and pop teaching paradoxes, that a genre's performer has traditionally been self-taught but is now institutional-taught. Furthermore, different types of teachers are presented. As a method, qualitative interviews are used according to hermeneutic theory and semi-structured interview as an approach to gathering information. Four ensemble teachers at the upper secondary school have been interviewed. As a theoretical starting point, the socio-cultural perspective has been used, which addresses the social interaction in connection with learning. The results chapter explains the informants' view of the leadership role, the importance of group composition and group dynamics. Finally, a comparison and summary of the result is made. In a ranking of the factors that the informants consider to be most important, the pupil's attitude and impetus end up being highest, the leadership role ends second, then level-adapted groups, and lastly various socially designed and adapted groups with forgiving or demanding climates. In the discussion chapter, there is a clear focus on the leadership role, and all interviewees have had different opinions on importance and responsibility. Although they have not agreed on their own significance, they have agreed on the importance of being dynamic as a leader and having the ability to adapt to the group's attitude and musical conditions, as well as the physical conditions such as the size of the number of instruments, etc. There is also a fairly consensus that a low-performing group needs an authoritarian, inspiring and clear leader, and almost completely laundered in the opposite.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka vad verksamma pianopedagoger har för erfarenheter av gruppundervisning och samspelsmöjligheter för nybörjarpianoelever. I bakgrundskapitlet ges en överblick vad som finns skrivit om samspel, pianogruppundervisning, traditioner inom pianoundervisning och material för grupper. Därefter följer en presentation av tidigare forskning inom ämnesområdet. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten för studien utgörs av det sociokulturella perspektivet på lärarande och kommunikation. Det insamlade datamaterialet består av kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra verksamma pianopedagoger som har erfarenheter av samspel och gruppundervisning för piano. I resultatkapitlet beskrivs informanternas erfarenheter av gruppundervisning, samspel, förutsättningar och material. Resultatet berättar att yttre ramfaktorer (som instrument och tjänst) liksom inre ramfaktorer (som pedagogens intresse och motivation) har stor betydelse för hur undervisningen blir. Andra aspekter som tas upp av informanterna är bland annat gruppdynamik, vikten av puls och lyssnande i samspelssituationer samt tillvägagångssätt för att hitta passande material. I det avslutande diskussionskapitlet lyfts delar av studiens resultat till diskussion i relation till det sociokulturella perspektivet på lärande samt till tidigare litteratur och forskning. En slutsats är att pianoeleven i grupp får möjlighet att tillägna sig andra kunskaper än den individuella eleven. En annan slutsats är att om inte gruppdynamiken fungerar så fungerar inte heller det musikaliska samspelet eller något annat moment. / The purpose of this study is to investigate active piano teachers’ experiences of group teaching and interaction opportunities for new beginner in piano. The background chapter provides an overview of what's written about the interplay, piano tutorials, traditions in piano teaching and materials for groups, followed by a presentation of previous research in the field. The theoretical starting point for the study consists of the socio-cultural perspective on learning and communication. The collected data material consists of qualitative interviews with four active piano teachers who have experience of interaction and group lessons for piano. The results chapter describes the informants' experiences of group work, interaction, conditions and materials. The result tells that external frame factors (such as instruments and services) as well as internal frame factors (as educator interest and motivation) have important implications for how the teaching will be. Other issues raised by informants are group dynamics, the importance of pulse and listening in interaction situations and approaches to find suitable materials. The concluding discussion chapter highlights parts of the study’s results discussed in relation to the socio-cultural perspective on learning, and the previous literature and research. One conclusion is that piano students in a group have the opportunity to learn other skills than the individual student. Another conclusion is that if the group dynamic doesn’t function, so does not the musical interaction, or any other elements.

Detta arbete är en observationsstudie av gruppundervisning i fiol och altfiol vid kulturskolan. Till undersökningsobjekt valdes gruppundervisning i fiol och altfiol. Båda instrumenten har en lång tradition av individuell undervisning men även gruppundervisning i ensembleform, inte sällan kombinerad vilket vill säga individuell lektion och ensemblelektion. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur formen och strukturen för en sådan undervisning kan se ut och hur elever och lärare fungerar tillsammans i undervisningen. Studien har en multimodal socialsemiotisk och etnografisk metodologisk ansats och använder dessa i en kombination i valet av metod, vilket genomförts genom observation av undervisning samt transkription av utvalda delar som spelats in med ljud och bild. Observatören har haft närvarande men i första hand inte deltagande roll i undervisningen. Två kulturskolor där fiolundervisningen har en lång och stark tradition valdes ut och några av stråkpedagogerna vid dessa kulturskolor valde att delta i studien. Resultatet visar att formen för undervisningen byggde på principen att härma läraren och att läraren hjälpte eleven att justera och placera instrumentet samt att sång eller ramsor användes för rytminlärning. Skillnader kunde identifieras mellan undervisning i större och i mindre grupp både till form och struktur samt hur individerna interagerade, kommunicerade och tillämpade lärande av varandra. Resultatet ger en inblick i hur gruppundervisning i fiol och altfiol vid två kommunala kulturskolor i Stockholms län kan fungera och är ett tillskott till fortsatt forskning om gruppundervisning i kulturskolan. / This thesis is an observational study regarding group education in violin and viola at the Swedish Municipal School of Arts. As an object of study, group teaching in violin and viola was chosen. Both instruments have a long tradition of individual teaching, but also group teaching in ensemble form, not seldom combined, which means an individual lesson and an ensemble lesson. The purpose of the study was to investigate the form and structure of such group education and to get a closer look at how pupils and teachers interacted in that form of teaching. The study has a multimodal social semiotic and ethnographic methodological approach, and investigate through a combination of these, implemented through observation of teaching as well as transcription and analysis of selected parts recorded in audio and video. The observant was present but was not participating in the teaching process. Two municipal schools of arts, where the violin and viola education has a long and substantial tradition, were selected, and some of the teachers at these schools were chosen to participate in the study. The results show that the education formed the way that the pupil mimicked the teacher, that the teacher often helped the pupils to adjust and place the instrument, and that singing or different frames was used for rhythm learning. Differences were identified regarding teaching in bigger versus smaller groups by form and structure as well as how the participants interacted, communicated and applied knowledge from each other. The result gives an insight into how group teaching in violin and viola at two municipal schools of arts in Stockholm might function, and contributes to further research regarding group education.

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study argues that not all children in the Junior Primary phase benefit from the Problem Centred Approach in mathematics that was adapted by the Research, Unit for Mathematics at the University of Stellenbosch (RUMEUS). \One of the reasons could be that not all pupils can construct their own knowledge and methods. There are the highly capable pupils who cope well with this approach. These pupils are able to solve mathematical problems with little or no teacher interaction. Then there are the average and weaker pupils who cannot solve a mathematical problem on their own. These pupils need strategies and skills to solve problems and they need the teacher to mediate these strategies and skills to them, which will help these pupils to become autonomous problem solvers. ,Working in groups can, to some extent, supplement mediation or teacher interaction. Peer group teaching can be effective, whereby pupils are placed in groups so that the more capable pupils can teach concepts or make concepts clearer to the average or weaker pupils). There is, however, the possibility that when pupils of mixed abilities are placed in groups of four there might be one pupil who might refuse to work with the group. This pupil will work on her own and will not share ideas with the other members of the group. If this happens, mediation is necessary for those pupils who cannot solve a mathematical problem on their own. The purpose of this study is to investigate how exposure to mediation can improve pupils' problem solving abilities. As directions for my research I've chosen the first six criteria of Feuerstein's Mediated Learning Experiences (MLE). The first three parameters: intentionality and reciprocity, mediation of transcendence and mediation of meaning _are conditions for an interaction to qualify as MLE. Mediation of competence and regulation of behaviour are functions of specific experiences that combine with the first three to make an adult-child interaction one of mediated learning. Mediation of sharing behaviour . can be added. Here the child and the mediator are engaged in a shared quest for structural change in the child. In addition to this, the five mechanisms of mediational teaching, i.e. process questioning; challenging or asking reasons; bridging; teaching about rules; and emphasising order, predictability, system, sequence and strategy are also used in the implementation of mediation as described by Haywood. Two methods of investigation were chosen. The pupils' problem solving abilities were studied by means of eight word sums, of which the first four word sums were done in the pre-test and the other four word sums in the post-test. After the pre-test and before the post-test there was a period of mediational teaching for the experimental group. During this period and during the post-test the control group was denied mediation. After this research, mediation was also available for the control group. Two pupils from the experimental group were then chosen for further in-depth, think-aloud, person-to-person interviews. The aim of the interviews was to determine why these pupils could not solve the problem in the pre-test, but could successfully solve the post-test question. The results of the word sums in the pre-test and the post-test were compared. The role of strategies and thinking skills is concentrated on in the results. Mediation was not equally successful in all of the four different types of problem sums. Questions one and five contained two or more numbers and here pupils tended to either plus or minus these numbers. Questions two and six also contained numbers, but this is a problem situated in a real life situation. Questions three and seven contained no numbers and questions four and eight compelled pupils to first work out a plan. Mediation was most successful in problem sums situated in a real life situation, followed by problem sums which compelled pupils to first work out a plan, and then by problem sums where there were no numbers. Mediation was least; successful in problem sums that contained two or more numbers. Analysis of these results shows that with mediation there is an improvement in the pupils' problem solving abilities; Mediation can be viewed as S-H-O-H-R, in which the human mediator (H) is interposed between the stimulus (S) and the organism (0), and between the organism and the response (R). We can argue that the Problem Centred Approach without mediation can produce individuals who are little, if at all, affected by their encounter and interaction with new situations. Due to the lack of support in the Problem Centred Approach to Mathematics, it is the aim of this mini-thesis to propose mediation as an essential component in the Problem Centred Approach to Mathematics in the Junior Primary phase.