1. Researching Tasks in Mathematics Classrooms -- 2. Perspectives on Mathematics, Learning and Teaching -- 3. Tasks and Mathematics Learning. 4. Using Purposeful Presentational Tasks -- 5. Using Mathematical Tasks Arising from Contexts -- 6. Using Content-Specific Open-Ended Tasks -- 7. Moving from the Task to the Lesson: Pedagogical Practices and other Issues -- 8. Constructing a Sequencing of Lessons -- 9. Students' Preferences for Different Types of Mathematics Tasks -- 10. Students Perceptions of Characteristics of Desired Mathematics Lessons -- 11. Contrasting Types of Tasks: A Story of Three Lessons. - 12. Conclusions -- 13. A Selection.

Using classroom mathematics tasks to support student learning is the topic of this timely volume. Employing research-based data, the authors focus on teacher practice as well as teacher and student learning and knowledge creation to demonstrate the use of mathematics tasks which promote effective student understanding. Unique in the field, the book provides a thorough, comprehensive guide to the nature of tasks for researchers, teacher educators, curriculum designers, administrators and teachers. Chapters on the effective implementation of mathematics tasks in the classroom, distinct pedagogical concepts related to teaching with mathematics tasks, and sample lessons that clearly demonstrate successful uses for mathematics tasks in the classroom are included.  The book is designed to provide a mix of cutting-edge data on task use with concrete examples of successful tasks and implementation tactics.  All of the lesson plans and illustrative examples provided have been extensively evaluated and tested in actual learning situations and feature specific suggestions for combating student difficulties and promoting solution pathways. This is a book that is essential for anyone hoping to understand both the importance of mathematics tasks for enhancing student learning and ways in which mathematics tasks can be applied in the classroom to achieve learning goals and objectives.