Cultural Diversity and Difficulty in Learning Mathematics

Abstract

This study focuses on the"Cultural Diversity and Difficulty in Learning Mathematics". The objectives of this study were to identify the causes of difficulties in learning mathematics of culturally diverse students at school and to explore the relation between culture and learning mathematics.It is case study and qualitative in nature.This study was conducted with the sample of one school from public selected by purposive sampling.One head teacher and one mathematics teacher and four students through purposive sampling. Direct interview with students, head teacher, math's teacher and parents were taken. Classroom observation was done for two times with different days during teaching learning activities. The collected information from teachers and students were analyzed with the help of theoretical and conceptual framework developed by the researcher.In this study, I have found that pupil's weak perception on mathematics, lack of culture friendly curricular materials, mathematics anxiety,traditional teaching learning activities, family's socioeconomic status, discrimination in classroom, and home-school mismatch are causes of difficulty in learning mathematics of culturally diverse students at school. Due to lack of practical knowledge of school mathematics, students do not find the connection between their real life and the mathematical knowledge they have learnt.I have 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. There is lack of use of effective teaching learning activities in mathematics classroom. School mathematics is totally based on rote learning and lecture methods. Teaching learning process fails to connect the link between mathematical theoretical knowledge and the student's reallife. Culture and learning mathematics has mutual relation.Culture of home and school directly affect in learning mathematics. Most of the schools are following culture of dominant group in society. So, it difficult to adjust for the minority groups students. Achievement in mathematics of children has affected by family's socio economic status. There are effective teaching approaches in culturally diverse classroom. Integrate culturally relevant content and social issues, utilize culturally responsive instructional strategies,and use cooperative learning in mathematics are effective teaching approaches in culturally diverse classroom.