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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.

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.

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of discerning the traits of a group of pupils who have low levels of learning and developing for them a more appropriate "differentiated program" of instruction in language arts.

The problem of this study was to determine some relations between changes in reading skills and changes in certain selected aspects of self-concept accompanying a remedial-reading program for elementary school boys with low reading ability and reasonably normal intelligence.

The problem of this study was to determine patterns of response of Texas schools in implementing the Texas Education Agency mandate to phase out below grade level courses. High schools were instructed to phase out these courses, using one of four options outlined by the Texas Education Agency. The study was conducted in two parts with both a telephone survey and a mail survey. The data collected from the telephone survey was used to construct and validate the mail survey instrument. The mail survey was sent to a stratified sample of Texas high schools based on school size, district wealth, and geographical location.

This study examined the effect on reading performance of a controversial treatment for a dysfunction of visual perception known as Scotopic sensitivity/lrlen Syndrome. The treatment, referred to as spectral modification, involved the use of colored transparent overlays for reading by four elementary school children in their actual school environments. The diagnostic, prescriptive and remediation procedures used in this study were originally developed by Helen Irlen, a California psychologist and researcher. Irlen conceptualized Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome as a difficulty in visual processing of the printed page when perceived through full spectrum light. Spectral modification techniques were considered controversial in that they were employed prior to scientific validation of the syndrome. Previous research used pre-test/post-test experimental designs to test the effect of spectral modification on reading performance. The research problem addressed here was that the technique had not been systematically examined over time in the school setting, and from the practitioner's point of view. Sample selection involved pre-screening and screening phases. The pre-screening procedures of teacher recommendation and file review resulted in a pool of 26 children who were screened with the Irlen Differential Perceptual Interview Survey. Four subjects were selected who were in separate school settings, who demonstrated Irlen Syndrome to a significant extent, and whose profiles did not present variables which would compromise their participation. These four underwent comprehensive vision evaluations as a preliminary assessment procedure. A four-strand single-subject experimental design was used to generate data on subjects' rate and accuracy of oral reading, and comprehension of silent reading. Performance changes during experimental reading trials varied between the four, although three subjects exhibited positive performance change on one indicator. A supporting procedure was that subjects were pre and post-tested on the three performance indicators. Post-test results corroborated the changes demonstrated by three subjects Interview formats were employed to obtain qualitative data from teachers, parents, and the subjects themselves. Recommendations for practitioners intending to implement spectral modification techniques were generated from this data.

Thirty-six randomly selected and assigned, ninth grade, high school students participated in this study which was designed to examine the Impact of a summarization strategy on the comprehension performance of average readers under varied text pattern conditions. The strategy consisted of two phases. Phase I, called BACCA, included the processing steps of brainstorming, accuracy check and arrangement, completing, correcting, and adding. Phase II, DIGC, included the rules of deletion, invention, generalization, and combining to construct the summary. While the treatment group received Instruction with the summarization strategy, a control group received Instruction in question answering but no direct Instruction in summary writing. Results from a two-way analysis of variance conducted on comprehension performance indicated that a significant difference existed between the two treatment groups with regard to total comprehension scores. Differential performance was revealed for the selected text patterns. Performances on chronological and compare contrast passages were not significantly different between the treatment and control, while on the cause-effect passage, a significant difference was revealed In favor of the summarization group. For the naturally occurring text there was a significant interaction effect for treatment by time. Qualitative analysis revealed a difference in the quality of written summaries with regard to the number of main ideas, details produced, accuracy in reporting the content of the passage, and completeness of the writings favoring the treatment group. Finally, an attitude survey reflected positive opinions by the participants toward both conditions. / Ed. D.