Effect of a Socialized Mathematical Language Module on Students’ Understanding of Mathematics and their perception of the Learning Environment

Abstract

There is evidence that students have problems in understanding and interrelating symbols and special language structure as used in mathematics. The study or which the paper is based was designed to develop and explore the instructional potential of a Socialised Mathematical Language (SML) module in teaching and learning of statistics in mathematics. A quasi-experimental approach adapted from the Solomon Four Group Experimental Design was employed to compare experimental and control groups drawn from schools in Bungoma district. Four different instruments namely achievement test, students' questionnaire, teachers' questionnaire and observation schedule were used to collect data from 156 Form Two students selected for the study. Both descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, & percentages) and inferential statistics (t-test & the Analysis of variance) were used for data analysis. The findings indicate that the SML module resulted in significant learning gains better perception of the environment and provided appropriate opportunities for student participation and interaction. The study concluded that the SML module was helpful in enhancing the teaching and learning of mathematics. The module was found to facilitate in making the subject more understandable to students and hence improved student performance in the subject.