Promoting Mathematics Learning Culturally Diverse Classroom
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Department of Mathematics Education
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.