Causes of Difficulty Faced by Dalit Students Learning in Mathematics

Abstract

This study focuses on the causes of difficulty faced by Dalit students learning in mathematics. The objective of this study is to analyze the causes of learning difficulties faced by Dalit students in mathematics learning. This study is qualitative research and descriptive in nature. This is a case study where Dalit is case for this research. The researcher selected 5 Dalit students out of -19 Dalit students. These students were taken from Shree Bhrikuti Ma. Vi. Kanchanrup - 9, Saptari. For this study the children were selected by purposive sampling methods. Mathematics teacher, head-teacher and parents of the sample students were selected as respondents to the researcher’s convenience. The primary data were obtained by observation and interview with student, Mathematics Teacher, Head Teacher and parents of respondents and secondary data were obtained by school record files, attendance register etc. The researcher did interview and observation of all five students spending more than ten days to observe the students behaviors or activities and their actual causes of difficulties in mathematics classroom. The students were interviewed to analyze the causes of learning difficulties and impact of home environments on mathematics and interviewed of their parents, mathematics teachers and head master were done to investigate about their study and causes of difficulties learning in mathematics. The researcher used John V. Ogbu’s Theory of “Cultural Difference and Continuity Theories” to interpret the information and to get the conclusion. The researcher used Cross-matching or data triangulation method to analyze the collected data from classroom observation and interview with students, Parents, Mathematics Teacher and Head Teacher. For this study the researcher found that there is cultural discontinuity at school and home. There is discontinuity in language, home environment, Parent’s education, economic status and learning opportunity at home, irregularity in the school, interpersonal relation between teacher and Dalit student, lack of believe and support, lack of parental involvement in school, gender discrimination are major difficulties in mathematics learning of Dalit students.