There are many debates at present among mathematicians, linguists, math teachers and other concerned educators about the different factors that may help in acquiring an increased level of achievement in mathematics. One is the use of the native language or the Filipino language in teaching math even if the medium of instruction is English in the secondary level or at present in the Junior High School under the K to 12 Curriculum.
Language plays a great role in creating a good communication and good human relationship, especially in mathematics classroom. If there is no language, how can individuals understand each other clearly? It cannot be pure sign language only, or sketches and drawing, color, smoke or creation of noise, or else there will be no complete communication. In any form, oral or written, native or foreign, language is the most powerful channel in maintaining either short or long happenings, events, activities and other insights and experiences, historical or literary, political or social, religious, economics and even in the field of science and mathematics. Even the culture of a country can be relived or recorded through language.
.To facilitate learning in math, other teachers use a language which is understood by the students and later on to be translated in English, the medium of instruction in math.
In many years, many innovations in curriculum planning have been proposed that offer both novice and veteran teachers an array of alternatives. Games, yoga, juggling, and jazz have been proposed as aids to language and other forms of learning, although the rapidly increasing opportunities for computer-mediated communication hold promise for further integration of communicative opportunities for learners.
Celce-Murcia (2006) on the use of mother tongue in the classrooms claims that” learners who are accustomed to being taught exclusively in their mother tongue may at first be uncomfortable if the teacher speaks to them in English, expecting them not only to understand but perhaps to respond when this happens; teachers need to take special care. It helps learners to realize that they are not expected to understand every word any more than they are expected to express themselves in native like English.
As stipulated in the Department Order No 31,s 2012, otherwise known as Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of Grades 1 to 10 of the K to 12 basic Education Curriculum (BEC) Effective school year 2012-2013, that “schools are challenged to implement the guidelines in creative and innovative ways, for the curriculum can be localized without compromising the philosophy of the total learner’s development.” Nevertheless Mathematics teachers who frequently find themselves in a quandary; asking themselves if they are producing students who perceive mathematics as an incomprehensible learning area, will hopefully have a ray of hope by conducting a research on this problem.
There are other factors being linked to math achievement, like the teaching styles of teachers and learning styles of students. There are four types of teaching styles which are the authoritative, permissive, delegator and facilitator. On the other hand there are students who are Visual learners, Kinesthetic, Olfactory and Verbal learners. While teachers set reasonable standards in return they expect responsible behavior and obedience from their students.
These factors: the medium of instruction, the teaching styles and the learning styles must be given focus and attention to be able to remedy underachievement in mathematics.
By: Renato B. Cruz | T-II | Bagac National High School Parang, Bagac
