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The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019.

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Other Authors: Stols, Gerrit H.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2019
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Stols, Gerrit H.
author_browse Stols, Gerrit H.
author_facet Stols, Gerrit H.
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:10.429Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2019
publishDateRange 2019
publishDateSort 2019
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/71713 The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties Stols, Gerrit H. u24240461@tuks.co.za Haupt, Maria Margaretha Catharina (Grietjie) Louw, Elizma UCTD Conceptual understanding Mathematics Multiplicative reasoning Procedural fluency Representations Special needs education Education theses SDG-04 Education theses SDG-10 Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019. In mathematics there is a conceptual shift from additive to multiplicative reasoning that learners in the Intermediate Phase (Grades 4 to 6) need to make to understand more complex mathematical concepts in secondary school. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the multiplicative proficiency of Grade 6 learners with learning difficulties by exploring the current status of their conceptual knowledge of multiplication, as well as their level of procedural fluency and the nature of their strategic competence. A single-case study design was used, with fifteen Grade 6 learners selected from three special needs schools in Pretoria, South Africa, forming together a group as the unit of analysis. During individualised task-based interviews, participants were required to solve ten classes of multiplication problems. They were further required to solve the problems by using different representations, namely abstract, semi-concrete and concrete representations for a multi-dimensional approach that allowed for in-depth understanding of their reasoning. The findings of this study indicated that only a few participants made the conceptual shift from additive to multiplicative reasoning, mainly when answering the less cognitively complex questions, since they showed conceptual understanding of and procedural fluency in the way they dealt with those questions. However, only two of the participants answered the less cognitively complex questions in a way that demonstrated proficiency in multiplicative reasoning and showed conceptual understanding, procedural fluency and strategic competence. The majority of the participants were not proficient in multiplicative reasoning and did not make the shift from additive to multiplicative reasoning, especially for the more cognitively complex questions. They still thought in additive terms and struggled to solve cognitively complex multiplication problems. However, some of the participants could solve these problems with either semi-concrete or concrete representations, but not with abstract representations. More participants showed procedural fluency in solving classes of problems they had already learned to solve, even if they were cognitively more complex. The three main reasons identified for this lack of proficiency were misconceptions, misrepresentations and calculation errors, which could inform mathematics teachers’ instructional practice to help learners make the shift from additive to multiplicative reasoning. TM2019 bs2026 Science, Mathematics and Technology Education PhD Unrestricted SDG-04: Quality education SDG-10: Reduced inequalities 2019-10-09T14:23:01Z 2019-10-09T14:23:01Z 19/09/06 2019 Thesis Louw, E 2019, The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties, PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/71713> S2019 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/71713 en © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Conceptual understanding
Mathematics
Multiplicative reasoning
Procedural fluency
Representations
Special needs education
Education theses SDG-04
Education theses SDG-10
The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties
title The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties
title_full The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties
title_fullStr The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties
title_full_unstemmed The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties
title_short The multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties
title_sort multiplicative reasoning proficiency of learners with learning difficulties
topic UCTD
Conceptual understanding
Mathematics
Multiplicative reasoning
Procedural fluency
Representations
Special needs education
Education theses SDG-04
Education theses SDG-10
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/71713