After being presented with the hatsumon or problem, students work individually
or in groups on the problem while the teacher engages in kikan-shido – sometimes
referred to as “between desks walking”, but perhaps more accurately as
“purposeful scanning”. The teacher of the research lesson takes careful notes of
which students are using which strategy to solve the lesson problem (see Figure
2) and knows, from the Lesson Study group’s research, expected solution
strategies. The teacher’s notes allow the teacher not only to monitor students’
strategies but also to orchestrate their reports on their solutions in the crucial
whole class discussion that follows the students’ working time – the neriage phase
of the lesson, which often occupies the majority of time in a research lesson.