Promoting Mathematics Learning Culturally Diverse Classroom

Abstract

The main concern or area of this study was “Promoting mathematics learning in culturally diverse classroom”. The objectives of the study were to explore the causes of students' difficulties in mathematics learning of culturally diverse classroom and also to identify the teaching approaches used by teacher to promote the students' mathematics learning in culturally diverse classroom. The descriptive ethnography approach was adopted to conduct the study for convenience under the qualitative research method. This study was bounded in only Maijogmai Gaupalika of Illam district and also this study was only delimited on Shree Amarkalyan Secondary School Maijogmai-1 of Illam district. In-depth interview, classroom observation, document reviews were used as tools for data collection. This study was conducted with the sample of four mathematics students, two head teacher and two mathematics teachers. The researcher observed classroom for five days and interviewed with related students, Head teacher, mathematics teacher and parents. Collected information were analyzed and interpreted with the help of conceptual framework and linking with theoretical construction. The study found that, lack of culture friendly curricular materials, mathematics anxiety, traditional teaching learning activities, family's socioeconomic status, discrimination in classroom and home-school mismatch were the difficulties in learning mathematics of culturally diverse students at secondary level. There is mutual relation between culture and learning mathematics. addressing individual differences, arranging co-operative learning, providing opportunities and motivating, connecting cultural phenomena with mathematical contents, making representative parents aware and responsible, creating proper environment of family as well as society, suggesting administrative team for manage extra class, are the effective teaching approaches for the culturally diverse classroom at school. It has also concluded that mathematics teaching and learning ways from the schooling is not good. Existing school mathematics teaching learning practices seem failing to address social and cultural needs of the students.