Teaching Maths Through Culture

Culture could be defined as the totality of a person’s way of life. This

has to do with everything in an environment including environmental
problems and activities. Mathematics on the other hand could be the
way we think about things around us or science of pattern and order.
For the mathematical instruction to improve the achievement and
interest of the learners there is need for mathematics teaching that
has the learners’ cultural background.

Culture as a tool for conveying mathematical ideas is the experiences

of all aspects of mathematics as it is found in a human tradition and
culture. Every society has an intuitive kind of mathematical knowledge
due to the importance of mathematics in terms of their way of
counting, measuring, relating, classifying and inferring. It is surprising
that much of this knowledge have been ignored in the formal school
mathematics curriculum as most of our texts use foreign illustrations
that are not so common within the locality. There is a great need to
connect mathematical content and the home cultures of learners as
well as between different branches of mathematics at this early stage.
Most parts of the world are exploring and acknowledging the need for
connecting the cultural background of the learner and the
mathematical content with the real world of work.

Teachers’ cultures to a certain degree do have influnce on teachers’

perception towards their pupils’ attitudes and academic performance
in schools. The challenge for mathematics teacher educators often has
more to do with how to help teachers “unlearn” the wrong ideas and
help them learn the correct concepts. For example, in the Philippines,
the problem of mathematics teachers' continuing education is
compounded by the reality that many of them do not know enough
content and possess limited pedagogical content knowledge (Catherine
P. Vistro-Yu 2007)

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Knowing mathematics does not only mean learning mathematical
concepts and processes but also knowing and understanding the
cultural practices that go with the learning of these concepts and
processes. Thus, mathematics is a cultural product. The mathematics
that is learned in school is not the same in many aspects because of
the unique cultural traditions, language, practices, and meanings that
have been developed and passed on by members of the group that
work together on it. Mathematicians have long developed their own
tradition and culture with regard to the ways of knowing, learning and
talking about mathematics.

It is sometimes difficult for students to appreciate the importance of

Mathematics. They often find the subject boring and hard to
understand. By sharing teachers’ culture and traditions with pupils’
cultures, hopefully it would help pupils realise that Mathematics is not
just a subject on their time-table but a tool they use in their everyday
life and their way of life
Much of the intuitive knowledge gathered from the society in terms of
counting, measuring, relating and classifying has been ignored in the
formal school mathematics curriculum. The need to connect
mathematical content and the home culture of learners is paramount
for enhanced performance in mathematics at the primary school level.

Culturally based materials in this context could be those local materials

found within the environment of the learner that could be used to
convey mathematics concepts in its real form. For example,

(i) Geometric concepts: ‘ketupat’

(ii) Folk songs, Riddles and Puzzles

Folk songs like ‘two’, four’, ‘six’ or ‘five’, ‘ten’, ’fifteen’ are also used in
teaching mathematical concepts. This song involves two or more
people forming a circle and deciding on whether to count in ‘twos’ or

‘fives’ and the maximum number they will count. As people count, any
number that does not fall in, they are dropped until a winner emerges.
This game is used to teach the concept of multiples, sequence and
base number system in mathematics.

(iii) Telling Time

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‘cock crow’. The cock crow in early hours of the morning signifies
morning period{4am to 6am).

cockcrow at dawn. Also, in the evening period towards 6pm, the

cockcrow(dusk) shows that the day is getting to an end. Therefore, the
concept of time can be taught through this cultural means by relating
time with those familiar terms used for different period of the day.

Shadow. Whenever the shadow is getting longer in the morning in the

front, it means the day is just starting (school time). As the day goes
down, the shadow enlongates. At 12 noon the shadow gets longer
again and goes behind you. Towards evening, the shadow gets to the
wall. The concept of time is also communicated through this way.

(iv) Cylinder: Bamboo “pansuh”

Activity 1

Choose a culture or tradition of your pupils or your own culture and

show how to use it to teach mathematics in schools.

Attaining Concepts Model

Concept attainment is “the search for and listing of attributes that can
be used to distinguish exemplars from non exemplars of various

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categories.” Concept attainment requires a pupil to figure out the
attributes of a category that is already formed in another person’s
mind by comparing and contrasting examples (called exemplars) that
contain the characteristics (called attributes) of the concept with
examples that do not contain those attributes. Whereas concept
formation, which requires pupils to decide the basis on which they will
build categories. To create such lessons we need to have our category
clearly in mind.

Examplars

Essentially the exemplars are a subset of a collection of data or a data

set. The category is the subset or collection of samples that share one
or more characteristics that are missing in the others. It is by
comparing the positive exemplars and contrasting them with the
negative ones that the concept or category is learned.

Attributes

All items of data have features, and we refer to these as attributes. For
example, nations have areas with agreed on boundaries, people, and
governments that can deal with other nations. Cities have boundaries,
people, and governments also, but they cannot independently deal
with other countries. Distinguishing nations from cities depends on
locating the attribute of international relations.

To teach a concept, we have to be very clear about its defining

attributes and about whether attribute values are considered. We
must also select our negative exemplars so that items with some but
not all the attributes can be ruled out.

There are two ways that we can obtain information about the way our
pupils can attain concepts. After a concept has been attained, we can
ask them to recount their thinking as the exercise proceeded- by
describing the ideas they came up with at each step, what attributes
they were concentrating on, and what modifications they had to make.
(“Tell us what you thought at the beginning, why you thought so, and
what changes you had to make.”) This can lead to a discussion in
which the pupils can discover one another’s strategies.

Many people, on first encountering the concept attainment model, ask

about the function of the negative exemplars. They wonder why we
should not simply provide the positive ones. Negative exemplars are
very important because they help the pupils identify the boundaries of
the concept.

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For example, if we select numbers that are odd numbers (these
become the positive exemplars) and some that are not (these become
negative exemplars- the ones that do not have the attributes of the
category odd numbers). We present the numbers to the pupils in pairs.
Consider the following four pairs of numbers:

Example 1

121 187.1
81 26.2
1
11
2
5 8

To carry on the model, we need about 20 pairs in all- we would need

more if the concept were more complex than our current example, that
is, odd numbers.

We ask the pupils to make notes about what they believe the
exemplars have in common. Then we present more sets of exemplars
and ask them whether they still have the same idea. If not, we ask
what they now think. We continue to present exemplars until most of
the pupils have an idea they think will withstand scrutiny. At that point
we ask one of the pupils to share his or her idea and how he or she
arrived at it.

If some pupils still cannot create the concept from the given
exemplars, teachers should provide some more examples until the
pupils agree that each positive exemplar adds something to the
meaning of the type of numbers.

We continue by providing some more numbers and by asking the

pupils to identify the numbers that belong to our concept (odd
numbers) and ask them to agree on a definition.

The final activity is to ask the pupils to describe their thinking as they
arrived at the concepts and to share how they used the information
that was given.

For homework we ask the pupils to find odd numbers in the list of
numbers given to them and the application of odd numbers in daily
life. We should examine all the exemplars they come up with to check
that they have come up with the correct concept.

Example 3

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Present the following list of numbers labeled yes or no

21 yes
22 no
42 yes
32 no
27 yes
17 no
33 yes

TEACHER: I have a list of numbers here. Notice that some have “yes”
by them and some have “no” by them. (Children observe and
comment. Teacher puts the list aside for a moment.) Now, I have an
idea in my head, and I want you to try to guess what I’m thinking of.
Remember the list I showed you. (Pick up the list.) This will help you
guess my idea because each of these is a clue. The clues work this
way. If a number has a ‘yes’ by it (points to first number), then it is an
example of what I am thinking. If it has a ‘no’ by it, then it is not an
example. (The teacher continues to work with the pupils so that they
understand the procedures of the lesson and then turns over the task
of working out the concept to them.)
TEACHER: Can you come up with the name of my idea? Do you know
what my idea is? (The pupils decide what they think the teacher’s idea
is.)

TEACHER: Let’s see if your idea is correct by testing it. I’ll give you
some examples, and you tell me if they are ‘yes’ or ‘no’, based on your
idea. (The teacher gives more examples. This time the pupils supply
the ‘nos’ and ‘yeses’.)

30 (yes)
33 (no)
10 (yes)
9 (no)
4 (yes)

TEACHER: Well you seem to have it. Now think up some numbers you
believe are ‘yeses’. The rest of us will tell you whether your example is
right. You tell us if we guessed correctly. (The exercise ends with the
pupils generating their own examples and telling how they arrived at
the concept.)

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In this lesson the pupils should be able to identify the concept, that the
numbers are not divisible by 2 as odd numbers.

Example 4

20, 15, 4 (No)

35, 12, 6 (No)
46, 40, 6 (Yes)
55, 36, 19 (Yes)
12, 7, 6 (No)

In this example, children should be able to identify that the operation

involves is subtraction. That is the third number is obtained when you
subtract the second number from the first number.

According to research findings, concept teaching provides a chance to

analyze the pupils’ thinking processes and able to help them
developing more effective strategies.

Activity 3

In a group of 3-4 persons, plan an activity using concept attainment

model to teach:

3.1 multiplication.
3.2 place value.
3.3 decimals.
3.4 fractions.
3.5 time.
3.6 percents.

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3.7 measurement: length.
3.8 measurement: weight.

Problem Posing

The focus of this section is to generate new problems and questions

base on the existing given problems. There is always a fixed number
of ways (combinations) in which questions can be asked. You must find
all the different combinations of questions for each chapter to be
tested and find out the steps needed to solve it. Once you have learnt
the steps to solve each type of question, the next step is to internalize
it by practicing doing each type of question.

Steps of Writing All the Possible Ways to Ask Questions

Step1: Collect different types of combinations from a question

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Collect all the possible different types (combinations) of questions for
each chapter. You search for all these possible questions from a
variety of sources. For example, a compilation of examination
questions over the last ten years, assessment books, homework from
school, past test papers and the test papers of other schools
(especially the elite ones).

Step 2: Learn the steps to solve

For each of the question types you have collected, find out the steps
needed to solve each one. You will find that for a particular type of
question, the steps involved are the same, even though the numerical
numbers may vary.

Step 3: Practice to internalize

Finally, you must practice doing each type of question at least three
times, using the steps needed to solve each one.

There are many pupils who diligently go through hundreds of question

types and practice solving them, yet still run into new question types
that stump them during the exam. This is because they just practice
on questions at random.

For example, in a chapter (let’s call this chapter X), you will find that
there are a fixed number (N) of possible question types. They are X1,
X2, X3, X4, ……Xn. Every question type requires a different set of
steps or skills to solve.

However, you will find that for each type of question (lets say X1),
there are many possible variations that could come out for the exam.
This will be X1a, X1b, X1c ….etc. Many variations of a particular type
of question are generated by changing the numerical values involved.
They might be an infinite number of variations that can be used to ask
a question for each type, but all the different variations of the same
type of question can be solved using the same formula or steps. For
example, if you can solve one (that is, X1a) , you should be able solve
the rest (X1b, X1c, X1d…..etc).

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Activity 4.1

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

The diagram below consist a triangle and a square. If the perimeter of

triangle PQR is 19 cm, find the perimeter, in cm, of the whole diagram.

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Solution

Variables

Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

Activity 4.2

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

Rentap jogs 2.65 km. Ah Meng jogs 600 m more than Rentap.
What is the distance covered by Ah Meng, in km?

Solution

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Variables

Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

Activity 4.3

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

Mr. Ling spent RM245.90 in week. Mr. Abu spent twice of the expense
of Mr. Ling. How much money did Mr. Abu spend?

Solution

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Variables

Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

Activity 4.4

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

A glass contains 360 ml of water. How many of these glasses of water

are needed to fill up a jug with a capacity 1.8 liter?

Solution

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Variables

Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

Activity 4.5

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

The population of a village is 69,482. During the flood 3,195 people

move out of the village. A few days later, 2,937 people move back to
the village.
Calculate the population of the village now.

Solution

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Variables

Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

Activity 4.6

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

A total of RM12450 is raised in a charity event. RM2680.50 is donated

to fire victims. The balance is donated equally to 3 orphanages. How
much does each orphanage receive?

Solution

Variables

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Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

Activity 4.7

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

A printing machine can print 1500 copies in one hour. If the number of
copies is reduced by 10%, how many copies can it in 2 hours 40
minutes?

Solution

Variables

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Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

Activity 4.8

In a group of 3-4 persons, write down all the steps showing how you
get the answer to the following question. Base on your answer, list
down all the variables in the question. Generate all the possible
questions using each of the listed variables.

Jenny makes 6 pairs of trousers for children. After making the trousers,
she had 2 m 76 cm of cloth left. If she had 12 m of cloth at first, how
long of cloth did she use for each pair of trousers? Give your answer in
m and cm.

Solution

Variables

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Generated Questions Using the Listed Variables

References

Adam Khoo, (2006). I am Gifted, So Are You. Marshall Cavendish

Edition. Singapore.
Catherine P. Vistro-Yu (2007) Enhancing Mathematics Teachers’
Professional Development Through Shared Cultures Ateneo de
Manila University, Philippines: EARCOME4
Joyce, B. et al (1992). Models of teaching. Allyn and Bacon.
Massachusetts

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