Secondary teachers' interpretations of students geometric errors linked to spatial reasoning

This study investigates how secondary school mathematics teachers identify and interpret students’ errors in a geometry item, analysed through the theoretical lens of spatial reasoning. The item was first administered to a sample of 10th-grade students to examine whether students’ errors were framed by spatial reasoning. Subsequently, a questionnaire was administered to 19 in-service secondary school teachers to collect information on their interpretations. Results indicate that while some teachers correctly identify spatial errors, those who do not adopt a spatial reasoning perspective tend to have greater difficulty in recognizing and interpreting students’ errors. These findings highlight the need to strengthen teachers’ hermeneutical competence through targeted professional development programs.