October 30, 2026higher-order thinking (HOT), Math Classroom, Teaching Mathby Math for All

Teacher Questions that Advance Student Higher Order Thinking in Mathematics

We math teachers tend to ask a lot of questions as we work with students. These questions have various purposes, including building relationships, establishing and strengthening norms, communicating processes, and managing student activities. Many, of course, focus on mathematics content. Here we explore teacher questions that support student higher order thinking about mathematics content. These questions are designed to develop facility with those mathematical practices necessary for complex problem-solving, including connecting concepts and approaches, extending students’ thinking by making and testing conjectures, making generalizations, being creative, and applying critical thinking.

May 19, 2026Cognitive demands of mathematical tasks, higher-order thinking (HOT), Neurodevelopmental Functionsby Math for All

Teacher A and Teacher B: Seeing the Possibilities of Universal Design for Learning 3.0

It can be said that teaching is an art because teachers can be eclectic in shaping and refining their instructional approaches using a variety of research-based strategies, mentor-informed tools, and action-oriented guidelines. One noteworthy set of guidelines is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The guidelines support teachers in incorporating the UDL concepts into their practices while also offering viable ways for teachers to support learners. UDL 3.0 is the current version that has value-laden principles and meritorious themes for promoting student learning and student efficacy. It was developed in response to the robust appeal from educators and researchers to “address critical barriers rooted in biases and systems of exclusion for learners with and without disabilities” (CAST, 2024).

December 3, 2025Cognitive demands of mathematical tasks, higher-order thinking (HOT), Neurodevelopmental Functionsby Math for All

Math for All and Supporting Students’ Higher-Order Thinking

Over the past few decades, researchers, educators, and policymakers have agreed upon the importance of fostering students’ higher-order thinking (HOT) in mathematics, which has led to reforming mathematics curriculum, instruction, assessments, and teacher training (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010). Developing higher-order thinking is essential for students’ success in learning mathematics. Math For All employs a neurodevelopmental framework (NDF) to analyze the cognitive demands of mathematical tasks. This framework identifies eight key areas of cognition that can come into play when learning: language, sequential ordering, spatial ordering, motor functions, psychosocial functions, attention, memory, and higher-order thinking.

higher-order thinking (HOT)

Teacher Questions that Advance Student Higher Order Thinking in Mathematics

Teacher A and Teacher B: Seeing the Possibilities of Universal Design for Learning 3.0

Math for All and Supporting Students’ Higher-Order Thinking

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