WHY STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH MATHS

1. WELCOME

3. WHY DO STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH MATH
Submitted By
Vinya P

4. WHY DO STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics is a universal language that can
become very confusing as the content continues to
stretch with more advanced skills. Difficulties in
mathematics can occur in many ways. Some
struggling mathematics learners will have difficulty
recalling basic computational skills. This may be
due to not mastering the appropriate skill level at
an early age. Some students will struggle with
making connections between numbers and the
quantities they represent. Also, understanding
how symbols relate directly to the math can be a
difficult concept to grasp. And finally, many
students who struggle understanding math often
times do not know the language. The language of
math includes unique terminology, symbols, word
problems, and verbal explanations that are not an
everyday use for many young students who
struggle. Math is abstract, not always tangible, and
multi-computational. Because math builds on
itself, the importance of mastering skills as a
student learns them is top priority. But, like most
things, students will master these levels at
different times. Therefore, teachers must decide
on appropriate accommodations for their
students. Offering multiple opportunities for
students to learn can influence their success.

5. Most of the students are struggling with
mathematics. The major problem for struggling
with mathematics is the teacher centered
classroom system. The systematic teaching
approach is essential for effective classroom
learning. So we must need the child-centered
classroom system. Teachers need to employ a wide
variety of strategies to develop understanding of
math concepts and encourage positive attitudes.
Students fall below their exceptional level of
mathematics achievement for a variety of reason.
When we asked why they were not as successful in
learning mathematics, many people replay that
“they never understood mathematics”, or “never
liked it because it was too abstract and did not
relate to them”. These reasons and others can be
categorized in general as environmental or
personal individualized factors.
Environmental Factors:-
Mathematics instruction must provide many
opportunities for concept building, relevant
challenging questions, problem solving, reasoning,
and connection within the curriculum of real world
situations. We know that most of the students who
are taught in a way of rote memorization. Instead
of recognizing and relating mathematics concept
and generalization.
Our curriculum ,spiraling provides opportunities
for learners to deal with content developmentally
over time.
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6. Concepts can be built upon and related to previous
learning throughout the curriculum, as students
become more proficient and experienced in
mathematics.
However it is critical that the same content not be
taught year after year, in almost the same manner of
delivery.
Another important thing is when the mathematics
content being aught is unconnected to `student’s ability’
level; serious achievement gaps result. This situation
may occur if students are absent frequently or transfer
to another school during the academic year. Too few life
experiences, such as trips to neighborhood stores or
opportunities to communicate with others about
numbers through practical life examples can make
mathematics irrelevant for students.
Personal or Individual Factors
The memory ability is one of the major components of
this factor. Some students are not able to develop
mental strategies for remembering how to complete
algorithmic procedures and combinations of basic facts.
However strategies to improve capacities for
remembering facts, formulas, procedures, ideas can be
taught. Another aspect is “attention span”.

7. Most of the students are able to concentrate only in a
specific span of time. So effective teachers should use
attention getters such as drawings and learning aids.
Next one is the language of mathematics, most of term
are confused by words hat also have special
mathematical meaning such as “volume”, “yard”,
“power”, and “area”. Lack of understanding of
mathematical terms such as “divisor”, “factor”,
“multiple” and “denominators” seriously hampers
students abilities to focus on and understand terms and
operations for algorithms and problem solving.
Many students, despite a good understanding of
mathematical concepts, are inconsistent at computing.
They make errors because they misread signs or carry
numbers incorrectly, or may not write numerals clearly
enough or in the correct column. These students often
struggle, especially in primary school, where basic
computation and "right answers" are stressed. Often
they end up in remedial classes, even though they
might have a high level of potential for higher-level
mathematical thinking.

8. Many students, despite a good understanding of
mathematical
concepts, are inconsistent at computing. They make
errors because they misread signs or carry numbers
incorrectly, or may not write numerals clearly enough
or in the correct column. These students often
struggle, especially in primary school, where basic
computation and "right answers" are stressed. Often
they end up in remedial classes, even though they
might have a high level of potential for higher-level
mathematical thinking. Some students have difficulty
making meaningful connections within and across
mathematical experiences. For instance, a student may
not readily comprehend the relation between
numbers and the quantities they represent. If this kind
of connection is not made, math skills may be not
anchored in any meaningful or relevant manner. This
makes them harder to recall and apply in new
situations.
Recommendation:
Students who struggle with mathematics may do so
because they are unable to “see” the larger picture,
make associations, or remember basic facts.

9. They need not only high-quality teaching, but well-
planned instruction explicitly structured to develop a
specific sequence of skills. In addition, providing a mix
of direct instruction of new skills and concepts, guided
practice, opportunities for complex thinking and
problem solving, and time for discussion is even more
important for the struggling student than for students in
general.
■ Provide an example of a correctly solved problem at
the beginning of every lesson;
■ Have students verbally or visually explain how to solve
a problem;
■ Introduce only one concept at a time and teach it to
mastery;
■ Teach in small chunks so that students get lots of
practice, one step at a time;
■ Provide learning aids, such as calculators, to help
students focus on conceptual understanding;
■ Routinely model the use of estimation and have
students estimate a reasonable solution before starting
any computation;
■ Teach families of facts; and
■ Demonstrate all concepts with manipulative. Word
Problems. Many students Promoting a Positive Attitude

10. Finally, because many students who experience
difficulty in math develop negative attitudes
toward the subject, teachers must use good
teaching practices to encourage positive attitudes.
Mercer and Miller suggest the following:
■ Involve students in setting challenging but
attainable instructional goals;
■ Ensure that instruction builds on previously
learned skills;
■ Use progress charts to provide students with
feedback on how well they are doing;
■ Discuss the relevance of a math skill to real-life
problems;
■ Communicate positive expectations for student
learning;
■ Help students understand how their own effort
affects achievement outcomes; and
■ Model an enthusiastic and positive attitude
toward math.

11. THANK YOU