Mathematics Education Forum April 2011, Vol. I, Issue 29.

Year 15, pp 7-9

Relation between Students Mathematics Achievement and Medium of Classroom Instruction Dr. Indra Kumari Bajracharya Abstract The objective of this study was to find out relation between students mathematics achievement and the medium of instruction in classroom teaching. This study was based on grade eight students of Kathmandu valley. The researcher has followed Rosss sampling guideline and selected 390 students from 26 schools as the sample of this study. For data collection, two types of tools viz. achievement test and teacher interview form were used. The reliability of the achievement test was 0.87 and the validity of the achievement test was determined by means of expert judgments. The obtained data was analyzed by SPSS program. The analyzed result showed the English medium of instruction in class room teaching mathematics better than the Nepali medium of instruction in class room teaching mathematics.

Introduction Academic achievement is something accomplished for the evaluation in terms of information, knowledge and understanding (Raio et al, 1995). A test designed to measure the knowledge or proficiency of an individual is something that has been learned or taught (Webster, 1998). Frank S. Freeman defines achievement as a test designed to measure knowledge, understanding and skill in a specified subject or group of subjects. Achievement has been regarded as a very important indicator to judge the quality of education. Achievement as such is essentially determined by different variables. Bajracharya (2009) conducted a research which reveals that teachers with high qualification are important to improve student achievement. Similarly, Joshi (1997) has conducted a study result revealing teachers' certification and

Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, Mahendra Ratna Campus, Tahachal, Kathmandu.

teachers' experience direct affect achievement in mathematics. EDSC (2008) conducted a study, National Assessment Level of Grade eight Students revealed students regular presence in the classroom, teachers with BA and above qualifications, experience and training of teachers had affected in mathematics achievement. The variables, which affect achievement level of students of any grades in mathematics, are changeable in time and space. Various variables are affected by students' achievement in mathematics. One of the important variables related to teachers is the medium of language used in classroom instruction. Medium of the language used in the classroom instruction plays important role in student achievement. These days private and public schools are using English medium in class room teaching mathematics. Whether English medium is necessary or not in mathematics teaching is unknown. No study has been conducted yet whether the medium of instruction mathematics in class room helps raise students in achievement mathematics. The study was intended to ascertain in this direction. Objective of the Study The objective of this study was to find out relation between students mathematics achievement and medium of instruction used in teaching mathematics. Methodology: The method to be used in this study is survey method. The following procedures were followed. Sampling: For the purpose of selecting school and student respondents purposive sampling techniques are used. This research was based on the study of grade 8 students in the Kathmandu valley. So, at the first stage, schools in each selected district were categorized into two strata according to their location - schools in urban area and schools in rural area. Hereafter referred to as urban schools and rural schools. The schools located in municipality areas in each sample district were considered as urban schools whereas schools located in Village Development Committees (VDCs) were

considered as rural schools. The determination of sample size and procedure for sample selection was based on sampling frames designed by Kenneth Ross for designing the national sample for data collection. The sampling frame suggested selecting at least 15 students from each sample school in the research. Therefore, the researcher has followed Rosss sampling guideline and selected 390 student samples from 26 sample schools. The size of total number of student samples used in this research was determined by desired accuracy of 95% confidence for the value of sample estimate. Altogether 26 Schools were selected randomly within the designed strata, which would be proportional to total number of schools in each stratum. Consequently, 16 schools (9 urban schools and 7 rural schools) in Kathmandu, 6 schools (2 urban schools and 4 rural schools) in Lalitpur district and 4 schools (2 urban schools and 2 rural schools) in Bhaktapur district were selected as sample schools. From each group of schools fifteen students were selected randomly. Therefore altogether 390 students were the sample of the study. Tools: This study used two types of instruments mathematics achievement test and teacher interview form. Mathematics Achievement tests with 67 full marks was prepared and finalized by a study, whose reliability was 0.87. Second instrument used teacher interview form, which consists of the medium used in class room teaching. Data collection procedure The researcher visited sample school as required in order to collect necessary data. With the help of class teacher, sampled students were collected. The participating students first were explained about the nature and purpose of the study before the achievement test was administered. At the same time, they were given guideline on the ways of responding questions in the test paper. Then the test was the administered. After collecting achievement test paper and interviewed the all sample teachers.

Data Analysis Procedure The answer sheets of the administered achievement test score was analysed using pre-determined answering keys. In the first stage, all the test papers was checked and obtained marks from achievement test entered in the SPSS program. In order to find out relation between student mathematics achievement and medium of instruction in class room mathematics teaching, t-test was used. Result of the study Data on this variable was collected from sample schools using the teacher interview form. Collected statistical data was classified into two groups in terms of use of medium in classroom mathematics teaching. First group teachers who used Nepali medium in class room mathematics teaching is called Group A and second group teachers who used English medium in class room mathematics teaching is called Group B. Out of 26 teachers, 18 teachers used Nepali medium in classroom instruction and 8 teachers used English medium in classroom instruction. Data pertaining to the teachers using Nepali and English medium for instruction and its effect on achievement is given in the following table.

Table 1 Means & Standard Deviations for t-test Scores of medium used in classroom teaching in Mathematics

Std. Deviation

Groups

Mean

Significance (2- tailed)

Mean Difference

95% Confidence interval of the difference t -7.78 Lower Upper -9.99 -5.96

Group A Group B

270 120

31.87 39.84

9.27 9.51

-7.97

0.00

According to above table, 18 ( 69.2%) community schools math teachers used Nepali medium in class room teaching in mathematics and 8 (30.8%) community schools math teachers used English medium in class room teaching in mathematics. The mean difference between two groups was shows that group A or English medium instruction classes score is higher than that of group B or Nepali medium instruction classes. The t-ratio was 7.78 at p =0.00, which is less than 0.01. This result shows that there was a significant difference between group A and group B. their lower limit and upper limit are negative. the above result shows that instruction of English medium is better for mathematics teaching.

Conclusion There are two groups of schools, one group of schools used Nepali medium of instruction in class room teaching mathematics and second group schools used English medium of instruction in class room teaching mathematics. This study results shows that English medium of instruction in classroom teaching students mean score was higher than Nepali medium of instruction in class room teaching. The results conclude that English medium of instruction is better than Nepali medium of instruction in class room teaching. Mathematical terms, axioms, and definition etc in English are easy for students to understand and study. Therefore it seems that medium of instruction is playing important role to improve students' achievement.

REFERENCES

1.

Best, John W. and James V. Kahn (2000). Research in Education, New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India.

2. Bajracharya, Indra K., (1999). A Study on Relationship between Student Achievement and Teachers Qualification in Mathematics, Journal of the Mathematics Education Forum, October 2009, Vol. 11, Issue 26. Year 13, pp 34-38 Kathmandu. 3. EDSC, (2008). National Assessment Level of Grade Eight Students, Kathmandu: ESDC. 4. Garrett, Henry E., (1981). Statistics in Psychology and Education, New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. 5. Joshi, Hemant. (1997). Determinants of Mathematics Achievement Using Structural Equation Modeling, Ph. D. Dissertation, University of Alberta. Published (Pub No: NQ23000).

*****