1.

0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Commonly, we have witnessed the confession of pupils on how they felt

Mathematics subject was very difficult and tough for them to cope. They even

symbolized Mathematics as the subject that represents and mentions numbers totally.

Some of them may react and response how they dislike to learn Mathematics. According

to a research done by Ye, Renmin (2004), about 41.4% of American students had

strongly agreed and agreed with the item categorized as difficulty with math study.

A study by Cote & Levine (2000); Singh, Granville & Dika (2002) have shown

that factors such as motivation and attitude had impacted student achievement. Hence,

teachers tend to give pupils a lot of exercises and drills for the preparation of

examination-based orientation in the school; in order to get successful results. When the

procedural knowledge was being majorly used as the strategy and approach, indirectly

the conceptual knowledge was being neglected slowly. What had been unconsciously

not being conveyed was the conceptual knowledge.

In the topic of fraction, it was one of the compulsory inputs of knowledge to be

taught to the primary school pupils as early as in Year 3. A guidance and suggested

activity had been given in the Mathematics Curriculum Specification. It was a path that

leads teachers to emphasize pupils’ learning abilites. Bottge (2001) found that when

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math problems were interesting and engaging, students with learning disabilities were

able to solve problems that emphasized higher level thinking skills.

1.2 Teaching and learning’s reflection

According to the pupils, they were all eager to state lots of fraction’s values until

I ask one of the pupils to tell what is fraction actually. Still, some of them stated the

value of fraction. “What is the application of fraction can you do in your house?” A

question from me, answered by a long silent from pupils. Since some of them were able

to reflect upon their previous learning on fraction, it would not be possible for them to

state at least one application in their daily life. However, the expected reaction was

shown differently.

It was another self-reflection that made me wonder whether or not I should

continue to teach them since the pupils were having a framed perception of fractions

within a ‘narrow’ procedural perspective. I considered that the pupils were lack of input

during the building of concept of fraction meaningfully. For them, it was another new

set of number in which they could not relate the topic to ordinary number system. Whilst

the pupils’ level of achievement may suggest broad understanding, in reality it is

grounded within a limited frame of procedural competence construed from their

teachers’ emphasis in the classrooms (Ruzlan Md. Ali, 2009). It was not meant to be

blame upon the implementation of prior lesson. However, vital changes need to be done

as to make sure that pupils could learn as what they are supposed to get.

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 Not to be made up with a raw judgement and decision to start the research

suddenly , I continued the earlier lesson of fraction with some warming-up questions

based on their previous year. The pupils did not take much of their time to answer and

hand in their paper. I was expecting that all the answers were correctly written.

Nevertheless, I have had a chance to take a short sight with a mistake of an answer.

Once again, I wondered whether I should proceed and ‘ignored’ the ‘poor’ pupils.

Hence, I decided to concern on this matter as my research’s problem. What I

could shared was that, every children should had been given a chance to explore the

knowledge given not just for the sake to get the good and better result (of course this is

one of their motivation to learn better), however, we have to build a generation that is

able to adapt their knowledge beyond learning in terms of application in the real world

situation.

1.3 Reflection of education’s value

Teaching and learning Mathematics would be meaningless if the pupils were

forced to do the arithmetic based on the calculation totally without seeing the clear view

and explanation on what they are supposed to find. Bahagian Pendidikan Guru (2000)

had stated,

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 “ If a pupil who wants to learn Mathematics in order to use it effectively, they

should understand the concept of Mathematics and able to apply the idea of it

specifically in any different situation.” (translated)

As we move in depth, most pupils are having difficulties in learning and

understanding topics of Mathematics especially fraction. The complex nature of

fractions, including various fraction concepts and sophisticated fraction arithmetic, is

confusing for students who are only familiar with the whole-number system.

“…importance of fraction…they are traditionnally considered one of the most

difficult and troublesome mathematics domain.” (Chan et al, 2007).

In addition, a report from the National Assessments of Educational Progress

(NAEP) (2001, p.5, cited from Naiser A. Emilie et al. (2004)) shows that fractions are

“exceedingly difficult for children to master”. It is identified that students have limited

understanding of fraction (Carpenter, Coburn, Reys, Wilson, & Corbitt, 1978; Carpenter,

Corbitt, Kepner, Lindquist, & Reys, 1980; Dossey, Mullis, Lindquist, & Chambers,

1988; Kouba, Zawojewski, & Strutchens, 1997; Lindquist, Carpenter, Silver, &

Matthews, 1983; Post, 1981 cited by Chan et al, 2007).

Hence, it is well aware that students should be given the opportunity to develop

concepts as well as number sense with fractions and decimals (NCTM, 2000).

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According to Reys et al (2007), a careful examination of the item on the mathematics

assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals that

concepts and models underlying fractions are not well developed by grade 4. The strong

foundation in learning fraction will influence the knowledge most on the other topics as

well such as decimal and percentages. Without a good understanding of fraction, pupils

may have difficulties to cope the understanding pose within the other topic.