Die rol van woordeskat in suksesvolle wiskundeleer in graad 9 van een bepaalde hoërskool in die Overberg distrik in die Wes-Kaap
Date
2024-03
Authors
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wiskundeprestasie bly ʼn aspek van kommer in Suid-Afrika, veral as gevolg van die afname in die aantal leerders wat suiwer wiskunde in die VOO-fase neem (Le Cordeur, 2020). Nog ʼn aspek van kommer is die afname in wiskundeprestasie. Slegs 54% van leerders wat wiskunde neem, het meer as 30%, wat leerders nodig het om te slaag, behaal (Shay, 2020). Van die 54% leerders wat wiskunde geslaag het, het slegs 2% van hierdie leerders onderskeidings behaal Conthia (2020) verwys na wiskunde in Suid-Afrika as ʼn nagmerrie-vak vir leerders, en identifiseer wiskunde as ʼn krisis in Suid-Afrika. Die rede tot kommer is duidelik wanneer gekyk word na Suid-Afrika se prestasie in wiskunde en wetenskap in vergelyking met ander lande. Suid-Afrika se prestasie in die "Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)"-assessering sowel as "The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)"-assessering is kommerwekkend. Le Cordeur en Tshuma (2017) verwys na Durkin en Shire se stelling dat wiskunde-onderrig en -leer in taal begin en ontwikkel, dat struikelblokke ontstaan as gevolg van taal en meer spesifiek die leerder se taalvaardighede in Wiskunde en dat uitkomste en vordering gewoonlik in taal geassesseer word. Daarom word vrae gevra oor die verband tussen taal en wiskunde, en juis die belangrikheid daarvan in wiskunde-onderrig en -leer. Die doelwit van die betrokke studie was om die rol van woordeskat in wiskundeonderrig en -leer te ondersoek. Die studie het beide kwalitatiewe sowel as kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gevolg om die navorsingsvrae te beantwoord. Die kwalitatiewe navorsing het waarneming van graad 9-leerders en die onderwyser in die klas, sowel as onderhoude met die wiskundeonderwysers, departementshoof asook vakadviseur ingesluit. Die kwantitatiewe navorsing het uit ʼn kwasi-eksperiment met ʼn voortoets, intervensie en na-toets bestaan. Vanuit die resultate kan die gevolgtrekking gemaak word dat leerders se uitdagings in wiskunde nie lê in die graad 9 kurrikulum nie, maar in die agterstand in basiese wiskundebeginsels en terminologie. Leerders het ʼn gebrek aan logiese denke en sukkel met probleemoplossing, en daarom sukkel hul met wiskunde en wiskundige begrippe. Leerders se swak algehele taalbegrip en verstaan van taalkonsepte speel ook ʼn deurslaggewende rol in hul wiskundeprestasie, omdat hul nie verstaan wat van hul gevra word nie. Vanuit die resultate word die aanbeveling gemaak dat daar baie meer klem gelê moet word op leesgeletterdheid in skole en dat die kurrikulum meer tyd moet toelaat om agterstande aan te spreek. Klasbespreking moet ook ʼn groter rol speel in wiskundeonderrig weens die belangrikheid daarvan in die ontwikkeling van wiskundeterminologie en -begrippe. Nog ʼn aanbeveling is dat daar gekyk moet word na die beskikbaarheid en voorsiening van hulpbronne aan leerders, hetsy dit boeke, werkkaarte of gekwalifiseerde onderwysers is. Ten slotte is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat leerders se woordeskat wel ʼn rol speel in hul wiskundeprestasie. Die hoeveelheid leerders wat nie wiskunde verstaan nie, weens die feit dat hul nie die woorde en terminologie wat gebruik word verstaan nie is kommerwekkend. Alhoewel die studie getoon het dat indien leerders se woordeskat verbeter, hul wiskundeprestasie verbeter, speel taal as geheel ʼn groot rol in wiskundeonderrig en -leer en affekteer leerders se taal- en leesvaardigheid hul wiskundeprestasie.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mathematics performance remains an aspect of concern in South Africa, especially owing to the decrease in the number of learners who take pure mathematics in the FET phase (Le Cordeur, 2020). Another aspect of concern is the decrease in mathematics performance. Only 54% of learners taking mathematics achieved more than 30% (Shay, 2020). Of the 54% of learners who passed mathematics (30% is a pass), only 2% achieved distinctions. Conthia (2020) refers to mathematics in South Africa as a nightmare subject for learners, and identifies mathematics as a crisis in South Africa. The reason for concern is clear when looking at South Africa's performance in mathematics and science compared to other countries. South Africa's performance in the "Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)" assessment as well as "The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)" assessment is worrying. Le Cordeur and Tshuma (2017) refer to Durkin and Shire's statement that mathematics teaching and learning begins and develops in language, that obstacles arise due to language and more specifically the learner's language skills in Mathematics and that outcomes and progress are usually assessed in language. Therefore, questions are asked regarding the relationship and connection between language and mathematics, and precisely its importance in mathematics teaching and learning. The objective of the study in question was to investigate the role of vocabulary in mathematics teaching and learning. The study followed both qualitative and quantitative research methods to answer the research questions. The qualitative research included observation of grade 9 learners and the teacher in the class, as well as interviews with the mathematics teachers, head of department and subject advisor. The quantitative research consisted of a quasi-experiment with a pre-test, intervention and post-test. From the results, it can be concluded that learners' challenges in mathematics do not lie in the grade 9 curriculum, but in the backwardness in basic mathematics principles and terminology. Learners lack logical thinking and struggle with problem solving, which is why they struggle with mathematics and mathematical concepts. Learners' poor overall language understanding and understanding of language concepts also play a decisive role in their mathematics performance, because they do not understand what is being asked of them. Based on the results, the recommendation is made that much more emphasis should be placed on reading literacy in schools and that the curriculum should allow more time to address backlogs. Class discussion should also play a greater role in mathematics education due to its importance in the development of mathematics terminology and concepts. Another recommendation is that the availability and provision of resources to learners should be looked at, whether they are books, worksheets or qualified teachers. Finally, it was concluded that learners' vocabulary does play a role in their mathematics performance. The number of learners who do not understand mathematics, due to the fact that they do not understand the words and terminology used, is worrying. Although the study showed that if learners' vocabulary improves, their mathematics performance improves, language as a whole plays a major role in mathematics teaching and learning and learners' language and reading skills affect their mathematics performance.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mathematics performance remains an aspect of concern in South Africa, especially owing to the decrease in the number of learners who take pure mathematics in the FET phase (Le Cordeur, 2020). Another aspect of concern is the decrease in mathematics performance. Only 54% of learners taking mathematics achieved more than 30% (Shay, 2020). Of the 54% of learners who passed mathematics (30% is a pass), only 2% achieved distinctions. Conthia (2020) refers to mathematics in South Africa as a nightmare subject for learners, and identifies mathematics as a crisis in South Africa. The reason for concern is clear when looking at South Africa's performance in mathematics and science compared to other countries. South Africa's performance in the "Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)" assessment as well as "The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)" assessment is worrying. Le Cordeur and Tshuma (2017) refer to Durkin and Shire's statement that mathematics teaching and learning begins and develops in language, that obstacles arise due to language and more specifically the learner's language skills in Mathematics and that outcomes and progress are usually assessed in language. Therefore, questions are asked regarding the relationship and connection between language and mathematics, and precisely its importance in mathematics teaching and learning. The objective of the study in question was to investigate the role of vocabulary in mathematics teaching and learning. The study followed both qualitative and quantitative research methods to answer the research questions. The qualitative research included observation of grade 9 learners and the teacher in the class, as well as interviews with the mathematics teachers, head of department and subject advisor. The quantitative research consisted of a quasi-experiment with a pre-test, intervention and post-test. From the results, it can be concluded that learners' challenges in mathematics do not lie in the grade 9 curriculum, but in the backwardness in basic mathematics principles and terminology. Learners lack logical thinking and struggle with problem solving, which is why they struggle with mathematics and mathematical concepts. Learners' poor overall language understanding and understanding of language concepts also play a decisive role in their mathematics performance, because they do not understand what is being asked of them. Based on the results, the recommendation is made that much more emphasis should be placed on reading literacy in schools and that the curriculum should allow more time to address backlogs. Class discussion should also play a greater role in mathematics education due to its importance in the development of mathematics terminology and concepts. Another recommendation is that the availability and provision of resources to learners should be looked at, whether they are books, worksheets or qualified teachers. Finally, it was concluded that learners' vocabulary does play a role in their mathematics performance. The number of learners who do not understand mathematics, due to the fact that they do not understand the words and terminology used, is worrying. Although the study showed that if learners' vocabulary improves, their mathematics performance improves, language as a whole plays a major role in mathematics teaching and learning and learners' language and reading skills affect their mathematics performance.
Description
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.