Difficulties of Musahar Students in Learning Mathematics

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to find the mathematics learning difficulties of musahar students, to explore their difficulties of musahar students to learn mathematics and to cope of the challenges in learning mathematics by musahar students. This study used qualitative research design. The research was conducted in five schools of Saptary district and five musahar students, five parents, two mathematics teachers and two head teachers from each school were from sample of the study. The tools used in data collection procedure are interview, review of document and classroom observation. So the methodologies of the research were classroom observation and face to face interview. Based on reviewed literature and different concept of theories, data have been analyzed and interpreted to find out the causes of learning difficulties of musahar students in mathematics. It was found that learning environment at home and school, language, interpersonal relation, teacher-students interaction, gender discrimination, irregularity, lack of parent involvement in the school, lack of support and belief and teaching method have emerged as the major causes behind the learning difficulties of musahar students in mathematics. It was also found that, creating good learning environment, good educational and economical statuses of parents, use of local language for teaching learning mathematics and parental involvement in school were mail addresses problem of musahar students in mathematics.