Afrikaans: Ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde is ‘n verskynsel wat besonder algemeen voorkom en navorsers is dit eens dat die probleem veral by swart leerders kritieke afmetings aanneem. In die veranderende Suid-Afrika is een van die onderwysrealiteite dat 'n groot deel van die bevolking, vanweë verskeie faktore, steeds blootgestel word aan opvoedings- en omgewingsituasies wat nie bevorderlik is vir die optimale verwerkliking van die leerders se persoonsmoontlikhede nie, en tewens ook yan hierdie verwerklikingsgeleenthede weerhou. Die Tswanaleerders in die Mafikeng-area bevind hulle in ‘n opvoedingsituasie wat nie altyd vir optimale verwerkliking van hul persoonsmoontlikhede bevorderlik is nie. Een moontlike uitkoms van hierdie situasie is dan ook ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde. Daar is veral gefokus op die taalaspek, waar die Tswanaleerders eendersyds probleme ondervind met die 'taal' van wiskunde, en andersyds dat hulle nie in hul moedertaal nie, maar wet in Engels onderrig word. Die doeI van hierdie studie is onder meer die verkenning van die Tswanaleerder in die Mafikeng-area se ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde. Dit is gedoen deur die inskakeling van ‘n Diagnostiese Toets en ‘n Leerdersvraelys. Die kognitiewe en affektiewe fasette van die Tswanaleerder se prestasie in wiskunde is gemeet. Deur middel van assessering en evaluering is die huidige stand van die Tswanaleerder se prestasie in wiskunde onder die vergrootglas geplaas. 'n Remediëringstrategie wat spesifiek gerig is op die Tswanaleerder in die Mafikeng-area is saamgestel. Hierdie remediëringstrategie fokus op assessering en evaluering, deur gebruik te maak van die Diagnostiese Toets (Mafikeng-area) en die Leerdersvraelys. Daar is ook aangetoon in welke mate 'n wiskundeportefeulje in sodanige remedieringstrategie ingeskakel kan word. 'n Kontrolelys aan die hand waarvan wiskundefoute by die Tswanaleerder in die Mafikeng-area moontlik geidentifiseer kan word, is ook verskaf. 'n Bespreking van die diagnostiese ontleding van 'n Graad 4-groep se prestasie in die Diagnostiese Toets (Mafikeng-area) is ter iIIustrasie verskaf. Die voorgestelde remediëringstrategie is 'n potensiele hulpmiddel vir onderwysers/esse van die Tswanasprekende leerders in die Mafikeng-area om probleemareas in wiskunde te identifiseer en te hanteer. English: Inadequate achievement in mathematics frequently occurs especially amongst black learners where the problem is becoming critical. In a changing South Africa one of the realities in education is that a large part of the population, on account of various factors, is still being exposed to educational and environmental situations that do not promote the optimal realisation of the learners' personal potential, and also inhibit actualisation opportunities. The Tswana learners in the Mafikeng area find themselves in an educational situation that does not always promote optimal actualisation of their personal potential. One possible outcome of this situation is inadequate achievement in mathematics. Special attention was given to the language factor according to which learners experience problems with mathematical language on the one hand, and on the other, the problem that the learners are not being taught in their mother-tongue, but in English. The aim of this study is, inter alia, the exploration of the Tswana learner's inadequate achievement in mathemactis in the Mafikeng area. This was done by administering a Diagnostic Test and a Learner's Questionnaire. The cognitive and affective facets of the Tswana learner's achievement in mathematics was measured. The present state of the Tswana learners' achievement in mathematics was determined through assessment and evaluation. A remedial strategy specifically aimed at the Tswana learner in the Mafikeng area was devised. This strategy focused on assessment and evaluation by making use of the Diagnostic Test (Mafikeng area) and the Learner's Questionnaire. The relevant research also indicated to what extent a mathematics portfolio could be incorporated into such a remedial strategy. A check list according to which mathematical errors in the case of the Tswana learners in the Mafikeng area could possibly be identified was also compiled. A discussion of the diagnostic analysis of a Grade 4 group's achievement in the Diagnostic Test (Mafikeng area) is provided by way of illustration. The proposed remedial strategy is a potential aid for teachers of Tswana-speaking learners in the Mafikeng area to identify and deal with problem areas in mathematics. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

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Thesis (M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016. / The purpose of this study was to examine learners’ mathematical word problem solving skills and strategies in Intermediate Phase. The study was prompted by Grade 6 learners’ poor performance in the cognitive area, non-routine mathematical word problems, as revealed in Annual National Assessment reports of 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The study followed action research collaborative method involving 26 Grade 6 learners and their mathematics educator. The school is a rural primary school categorised under quintile two. Problem solving theory by Polya (1957) guided the study in answering three research questions: What are the challenges faced by Grade 6 learners in solving word problems? What are Grade 6 learners’ strategies in solving word problems? How can learners’ problem solving skills and strategies focusing on word problems be improved? Data were collected in a routine structured process: pre-intervention phase, intervention phase and post-intervention phase. Analysis was made through the development of a system of categorisation of learners’ responses. The four principles of problem solving by Polya (1957) namely, the way learners understand the problem, how they devise the plan, how they carry out the plan and the manner in which they look back guided the analysis. The findings of the study revealed that the strategies introduced assisted learners in making sense of the word problems and finally proceeding towards an adequate solution. It was also found out that the learners lacked the ability to read with understanding; the problem being their lack of competence in the language of learning and teaching. The skills which learners also lacked when solving word problems were identified as arithmetic skills and reflective skills.

Bibliography: p. 104-111. / This study focuses on the Langa Enrichment Programme an educational support programme for black students studying under the Department of Education and Training in the Cape Peninsula. The study aimed to determine students' reasons for attending the programme, their perceptions of its strengths and weaknesses and their recommendations for improvements. Student expectations of the programme and reasons for the high dropout rate especially amongst Standard Nine and female students were explored. To contextualise the study and to give further insights into student views a brief summary of the apartheid education crisis is given. Educational support programmes are reviewed as is liberalism's response to the crisis in education and the history and culture of the South African Institute of Race Relations. The methodology used was two-fold: self-administered questionnaires to 126 Standard 10 Mathematics students and a series of focus group interviews with small groups of students. The findings may be summed up as follows. Students were generally positive towards the teachers, teaching methods and administration of the programme. They requested that teachers should teach and complete the syllabus, emphasizing exam questions, revision and scientific experiments, and explore alternative small group teaching with critical discussions. Students also requested a comprehensive career guidance programme, bursary information and increased financial assistance. Students expressed a reluctance to pay fees and this, coupled with increasing requests for financial and educational supp01t, raises the issue of welfarism on the programme. Reasons for the high dropout rate amongst Standard Nines included that they write an internal examination. Social pressures from boyfriends and peer groups and regarding clothes were given as reasons for female students dropping out of the programme. The students appear to determine the direction of the school in that as a result of their demands the programme has changed from an enrichment programme to a compensatory one. Recommendations in the concluding chapter of this study are that the Enrichment Programme should draw up clearer policy guidelines in conjunction with staff and students; liaison with DET secondary schools, tertiary institutions and other enrichment programmes should be improved; career guidance programmes linked to bursary information should be implemented; bursaries and other incentives should be linked to attendance and academic performance on the programme; a full time co-ordinator should be employed.

High school noncompleters are those who did not earn a high school diploma. Before their early departure from high school, noncompleters often struggled with challenges (poverty, mental health, addiction, and emotional and physical abuse). Some enter remedial education to earn their equivalency credential. However, in this setting, they experience additional challenges, such as increased responsibility, stress, and anxiety. The problem surrounding the experiences of noncompleters has implications for counseling due to the limited use of and access to counseling as well as the disproportionate amount of mental health concerns and adversity among noncompleters. Current literature informs of the challenges noncompleters face, however more in-depth information on their experiences is still needed. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to address this gap and explore how adult remedial learners experience emotional and psychological challenges before dropping out and while enrolled in an equivalency program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 noncompleters ages 18-25 who were enrolled in adult remedial education classes in Hawaii, spoke English as their primary language, and self-reported experiencing emotional and psychological challenges. Data analysis through the hermeneutic circle yielded 11 themes: external adversity; interpersonal, emotional, psychological, and school struggles; maladaptive behaviors; high school equivalency is positive; external and internal protective factors; counseling is positive; and counseling limitations. From a social change perspective, results can be used to improve counseling services, reduce adversity, and improve outcomes for noncompleters.

The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if there is a relationship between characteristics of supplemental instructors’ personal traits, teaching skills, subject matter, constructive/active, collaborative learning, effective communication, and their practices (as judged by students) and student success in their remedial mathematics course. The college Provost was contacted by email to request an authorization to conduct this study in his college. Once approved, the investigator contacted face to face his colleagues to ask their students to participate in the study because they enrolled in a remedial algebra class where the instructor is assisted by a supplemental instructor (SI leader). Sixteen algebra classes were selected, and each were assisted by supplemental instructors. Students’ scores on the pre-test (at beginning of the semester) and post-test (at the end of the semester) were collected to gauge their achievement on both tests. Students completed a questionnaire that asked about their perceptions about their supplemental instructors’ personal traits, teaching skills, subject matter, constructive/active, collaborative learning, effective communication, and their practices throughout the semester. Students’ mean scores difference on the post-test were higher in 62.5% of the sections than on the pre-test. The evaluation of achievement on both tests, the responses to the questionnaire and comments from students showed that SI leader’s characteristics associated to effective communication/active learning, teaching skills, and personal traits could be contributor to score achievements. The linear regression in the study shows that the three factors did not significantly predict the post-test score. However, the pre-test did significantly predict the post-test score in a remedial Math 20 at the end of the semester (Beta = .47, t (197) = 6.56, p <.05). In addition, the comments in the questionnaire found that students acknowledged their supplemental instructor role in the classroom and during the SI’s weekly sessions.