Teaching strategies for helping students with difficulties in learning mathematics

Abstract

Na šolsko uspešnost učenca vplivajo različni dejavniki: kognitivni, socialni in emocionalni dejavniki, domače okolje, šolsko okolje idr. Pomembno vlogo pri šolskih dejavnikih imajo tako organizacija pouka kot učiteljeva ravnanja pri poučevanju. S perspektive učencev z učnimi težavami so odločitve učiteljev tesno povezane s poznavanjem vzrokov in značilnosti učnih težav ter z metodičnim znanjem za poučevanje učencev z učnimi težavami. V prvem delu članka opredelimo splošne in specifične učne težave učencev pri matematiki, vzroke zanje ter ukrepe pomoči. V drugem delu so prikazani rezultati raziskave, katere osnovni namen je bil proučiti vsebine, pri katerih imajo učenci učne težave pri matematiki, zadovoljstvo učiteljev z učinkovitostjo različnih oblik pomoči učencem z učnimi težavami pri matematiki ter usposobljenost učiteljev za izvajanje oblik pomoči. Rezultati raziskave so pokazali, da največ učiteljev zaznava učne težave pri poštevanki, seštevanju in odštevanju s prehodom, pri količinah/merskih enotah/pretvarjanju, pri reševanju matematičnih problemov ter pri besedilnih nalogah. Z učinkovitostjo različnih oblik pomoči so učitelji srednje zadovoljni. Največje zadovoljstvo z učinkovitostjo oblik pomoči so učitelji izrazili pri tistih pristopih, pri katerih se tudi čutijo najbolj usposobljeni, to je pri uporabi ustreznih učnih pripomočkov ter pri prilagajanju utrjevanja znanja.Pupils’ performance in school is influenced by various elements, such as cognitive, social, and emotional factors, home environment, school environment, etc. As regards school, the organisation of education and teachers’ conduct in teaching play an important role. From the perspective of pupils with learning difficulties, teachers’ decisions are closely linked with their knowledge of learning difficulties and the causes of the latter as well as with the methodical knowledge they need so as to be able to teach pupils with learning difficulties. The first part of the article introduces general and specific learning disabilities of pupils in mathematics, along with the causes for learning disabilities and the means to helping pupils. The second part of the article summarises the results of a survey, the main purpose of which was to examine which were those mathematics topics that tended to cause most learning difficulties. The survey also focused on the satisfaction of teachers with the efficiency of the methodical ways of helping those pupils, and on the qualification of teachers to deliver different kinds of assistance. The results of the survey indicated that most teachers noticed learning disabilities occurring in multiplication, addition and subtraction over tenths, in quantities/measure units/conversion of units, and in solving mathematic problems and textual exercises. The teachers were fairly satisfied with the efficiency of the methodical ways of assistance. They expressed most satisfaction with those approaches which they felt they were most qualified for, i.e. the use of different didactic props and adapting the ways of reinforcing knowledge with pupils who had learning disabilities