A comparison of isiXhosa-speaking learners' responses to word problems given in English and isiXhosa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:According to Prins(1995), readability factors in Mathematics text do not onlyinfluence the comprehension of questions, but also have a marked influence onlearner achievement levels. Extending on Prins (op cit), this study sought toinvestigate whether there are any differences in the quality of interpretation andchoice of algo-heuristic methods when isiXhosa-speaking learners respond tomathematical word problems set in English and isiXhosa.The study was located within an ethnographic framework, with all of the 109participants speaking isiXhosa as LI. The participants were in grades 8 (44),Grade 9 (29) and grade 10(36) and all took Mathematics as one of their schoolsubjects. Learners were divided into four groups based on achievement levels inEnglish in June examinations. The study was cross-sectional, with each of the fourgroups comprising learners who were good achievers, average achievers and underachievers in English second language.A unique methodological and data collection design was undertaken in such a waythat each of the participants responded to word problems set in both English andisiXhosa. Two questions were administered to all learners (one in each of the twolanguages). The two questions were written in two sessions. If a learner responded inEnglish during the first session, s/he will respond in isiXhosa during the secondsession and vice versa. There was a 5-minute break in between the sessions.Data was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The broad focus of theanalyses was on learners' quality of interpretation of the given word problems and thechoice of computational methods they employed when they responded to the wordproblems. Three categories were investigated under each of the focus areas.Categories investigated under the quality of interpretation were:[J Totally false interpretation[J Partially correct interpretation and[J Totally correct interpretation Categories investigated under the choice of computational methods were:[J Standard methods[J Non-standard methods[J Unidentifiable methodsThe evidence gathered suggested that isiXhosa-speaking learners interpret wordproblems better when they are set in isiXhosa rather than English. Another importantfinding was that isiXhosa-speaking learners prefer to use standard methods when theyrespond to word problems set in English and also prefer to use non-standard methodswhen they respond to word problems set in siXhosa.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University