PROBLEMSOFSTUDENTSI

NLEARNI
NGMATHEMATI
CSAS
ASUBJECTI
NSCHOOL
(
Element
aryandSecondar
yLev
el)
WI
THSPECI
ALREFERENCETOMI
ZORAM

Submi
tt
edt
o:
Ma’
amNi
thi
ya

Submi
tt
edby
:Sl
.No.71-80,
B.
Ed.1stSemest
er,
Sec-
B,Rol
lNo.21-
30
Mat
hemat
icsi
sauni
quesubj
ectandi
saf
undament
alpar
tofschoolcur
ri
cul
um.I
tis
wi
del
ybel
i
evedt
hatmat
hemat
icsi
soneoft
hemosti
mpor
tantsubj
ect
sbecausei
t
shapest
hemi
ndandpr
epar
esst
udent
sforpur
eandsoci
alsci
ences.Howev
er,
maj
ori
ty
ofst
udent
sdi
sli
kemat
hemat
ics.St
udent
sar
eunabl
etounder
standt
hebasi
cconcept
s
ofmat
hemat
icsandt
hei
rtechni
queduet
ovar
iousr
easons.I
nMi
zor
am,mostoft
he
st
udent
sfacedal
otofpr
obl
em i
nlear
ningmat
hemat
ics.Manyst
udent
sdev
elopf
ear
t
owar
dsMat
hemat
icsduet
othei
rmi
sunder
standi
ng,non-
under
standi
ngandf
ail
ure
dur
ingpr
evi
ousl
essons.Chi
l
dren wi
thnegat
iveat
ti
tudest
owar
dsMat
hemat
icshav
e
per
for
mancepr
obl
emsbecauset
heydev
elopanxi
ety
.Somest
udent
sfi
ndmat
hemat
ics
mor
e di
ff
icul
tthan ot
hersubj
ect
s,ev
en t
hough t
heyar
e good atcal
cul
ati
on and
r
easoni
ng,
theyst
il
lper
for
m poor
lyonhomewor
k,t
estet
c.Hence,
forcommonst
udent
s
mat
hemat
icsbecomesat
oughersubj
ect
,andt
ryt
oav
oidi
t.Ther
efor
e,t
her
eisaneed
t
ost
udyt
hepr
obl
emsofst
udent
sinl
ear
ningmat
hemat
icsasasubj
ecti
nschool
s
(
element
ary&secondar
ylev
el)wi
thi
nMi
zor
am.

Mat
hemat
icsi
sasubj
ectt
hatcausesmanynegat
iveemot
ions,i
nthi
sst
udywewi
l
ltr
y
t
oident
if
ythedi
ff
icul
ti
esf
eltbyst
udent
sinl
ear
ningmat
hemat
ics.Aquest
ionnai
rewas
conduct
edt
hroughphonecal
ltodi
ff
erentst
udent
sandt
eacherf
rom di
ff
erentschool
s
wi
thi
nMi
zor
am.Mostoft
hest
udent
sthatwer
ecommuni
cat
edt
hrought
elephonear
e
f
rom DonBoscoSchool
,Bual
pui(
Ng)
,Gov
’tMi
ddl
eSchool
,Bual
pui(
Ng)
,Gov
’tHi
gh
school
,Bual
pui(
Ng)
,Gov
’tMi
ddl
eschool
,Kei
fang,
Gov
’tHi
ghSchool
,Kei
fangandYoung
Lear
ner
sSchool
,Ai
zawl
.

Among t
hose st
udent
s,75% di
sli
ke mat
hemat
ics,and onl
y 8% r
epor
tthey l
i
ke
mat
hemat
ics. Thei
r mai
n r
easons f
or hat
ing mat
hemat
ics wer
e di
ff
icul
tyi
n
under
standi
ngt
hesubj
ect
,lackofmat
hemat
icst
eacheri
nschool
s,noti
nter
est
edi
nthe
subj
ect
s,l
otsoff
ormul
ato bememor
ized.Among 49 st
udent
s,67% ofst
udent
s
r
epor
tedt
hatt
heydonotl
i
kemat
hemat
ics,andt
heybel
i
eft
hatmat
hemat
icsi
sa
di
ff
icul
tsubj
ect
.Whi
l
e15%f
indi
tasbor
ingandonl
y10%consi
deri
tasaneasy
subj
ect
.

Someoft
hest
udent
swhof
indi
tdi
ff
icul
tar
enotwi
l
li
ngt
ogot
oschoolsomet
imesand
someoft
hest
udent
shav
ebeendr
opoutt
hei
rschoolduet
othi
spr
obl
em.St
udent
s
r
evealt
hatmat
hemat
icscl
assesar
enotsuf
fi
cient
,theneedt
otakeext
rat
uit
ionandf
or
t
hosest
udent
swhoar
efr
om poorbackgr
oundcannotaf
for
dthecost
lyt
uit
ionandf
or
t
hatr
easonmostoft
het
imet
heyf
ail
edi
nmat
hemat
icssubj
ect
.Anot
herpr
obl
em
f
acedbyt
hest
udent
sinl
ear
ningmat
hemat
icsi
sthat
,theyar
einl
ackofmat
hemat
ics
t
eacher
sinschool
s.Al
so,someoft
hemaj
orpr
obl
emsf
acedbyt
hest
udent
swer
e
r
elat
edt
othepaceoft
eacher
’sdel
i
ver
y.Someoft
hem ar
equi
tef
asti
nteachi
ngand
expl
anat
ion,f
ort
hatr
easonst
udent
sdonothav
eti
met
ocopyal
lthet
eachert
aught
,
andal
sosomeoft
het
eacher
sfai
l
edt
onot
icet
hatt
her
ear
esomest
udent
swhoar
e
sl
ow i
nlear
ningmat
hemat
icsandneedmor
eti
met
oexpl
aini
nasi
mpl
emanner
.It
r
equi
redsl
ow,
clearandunder
standabl
eexpl
anat
ionsf
ort
hem t
ounder
stand.Howev
er,
someoft
het
eacher
sconcent
rat
edonl
yonbr
ightst
udent
sandi
gnor
edweakst
udent
s.
Al
mostal
lthest
udent
ssayt
hati
nmat
hemat
icsl
otsoff
ormul
asar
etobememor
ized.
Consequent
lyt
hesubj
ectbecomesmucht
imeconsumi
ngasr
eveal
edbysomest
udent
s.

Manyst
udent
s di
d notspend enough t
ime pr
act
ici
ng mat
hemat
ics.Some oft
he
st
udent
sdonotr
eal
i
zet
hatt
heyneedmor
eti
mer
evi
ewi
ngcer
tai
nar
eas.Somet
imes
t
heyf
eell
i
ke t
heyunder
stand a concept
,butwhen at
tempt
ing t
o do a pr
obl
em
t
hemsel
ves,t
heydon’
tknow how t
obegi
n(orendupst
ruggl
i
ngt
hrought
hepr
ocess)
.
Fr
om t
her
espondent
swear
eabl
etoknow t
hatt
heydonotgetenoughsuppor
tfr
om
t
hei
rfami
l
iesandev
enf
rom t
hei
rteacher
sinschool
s.Ther
eisaheav
ypr
essur
eont
he
st
udent
sfr
om t
hei
rfami
l
iest
oper
for
m wel
lint
het
est
sandexams.Thepr
essur
eand
l
ackofconf
idencet
hesest
udent
sfeelwhenf
acedwi
thmat
hcausest
hei
rbr
aint
o
f
reezeand f
orgetev
en t
het
hingst
heydi
d know.Gr
adual
l
yint
hecont
extoft
he
cont
inuousandcompr
ehensi
veev
aluat
ion,t
hef
requencyoft
est
sismor
ethanbef
ore.
Taki
ng so manyt
est
s atr
egul
ari
nter
val
s and expect
ati
ons t
o per
for
m bet
teri
n
mat
hemat
icst
hani
nanyot
hersubj
ect
sar
eri
sest
udent
stof
rust
rat
ion.School
swer
e
ext
remel
yri
gid,di
sci
pli
nei
smai
ntai
nedi
n cov
erageoft
hecour
sewi
tht
hest
ri
ct
adher
encet
othet
ext
bookswi
thoutal
l
owi
ngf
reedom t
othest
udent
stot
hinkandt
o
choose al
ter
nat
ive way
sto sol
ve mat
hemat
icalpr
obl
ems cr
eat
e mor
etensi
on i
n
st
udent
stowar
dmat
hemat
ics.

Mat
hemat
ics i
sav
ery abst
ractsubj
ect
.As mat
h becomes mor
e adv
anced and
chal
l
engi
ng,t
hatcanbedi
ff
icul
ttodo.Unf
ort
unat
ely
,chi
l
drenwi
thmat
hdi
sor
der
smay
getbul
l
iedbyt
hei
rfr
iends.Thewor
set
hingt
oexper
iencewoul
dbeanunconsci
ous
t
eachert
hatmaycal
lthem ‘
i
diot
’or‘
l
azy
’.Thesemi
stakesmayal
sobef
oll
owedby
unconsci
ouspar
ent
s.Becausechi
l
drenwi
thdy
scal
cul
i
acanbehi
ghl
yski
l
ledi
nsome
ot
hersubj
ect
srat
hert
hanmat
hemat
ics.Dy
scal
cul
i
aisal
ear
ningdi
ff
icul
tyt
hatcauses
st
udent
stost
ruggl
ewi
thf
ormul
as,
shapes,
andnumber
-r
elat
edconcept
s.Thi
smakesi
t
di
ff
icul
tfort
hem t
ounder
standandpr
ocessmat
hpr
obl
ems.Thesest
udent
susual
l
yfal
l
f
arbehi
ndt
hei
rpeer
sinmat
handhav
etr
oubl
ewi
thnumber
-r
elat
edpr
obl
emst
hatdo
noti
mpr
ovewi
thongoi
ngpr
act
ice.
Di
scussi
onhasbeenmadewi
thamat
hemat
icst
eacherofYoung Lear
ner
s School
,
Ai
zawl
,Mi
ssRebeccaLal
l
awmzual
iwhowascont
act
edt
hroughphoneandshehad
shar
edheropi
nionsandv
iewsi
nteachi
ngmat
hemat
icsandpr
obl
emsf
acedbyt
he
st
udent
s,par
ti
cul
arl
yincont
extt
oMi
zor
am.

Thedi
scussi
onhasbeensummar
izedbel
ow:
-

1.Languagebar
ri
er:
Mostoft
het
eachi
ngsi
nEngl
i
shMedi
um School
sar
ebei
ng
under
takeni
nEngl
i
shwhi
chhasbeenr
epor
tedt
ocauseal
otofbar
ri
erf
ort
he
st
udent
sint
ermsofunder
standi
ngwhi
chi
sofpr
imei
mpor
tancei
nlear
ning
mat
hemat
ics si
nce mat
hemat
ics unl
i
ke ot
her subj
ect
sisr
equi
red t
o be
under
stood and pr
act
iced accor
dingl
y.The quest
ions t
hatt
hey f
aced i
n
exami
nat
ions ar
eli
kel
yto be seti
n Engl
i
sh whi
ch agai
n wer
e somet
imes
mi
sint
erpr
etedev
ent
hought
heywer
efami
l
iarwi
tht
hepr
obl
emi
tsel
f.
2.Unt
rai
nedt
eacher
s:I
nsomecasest
her
ehasbeenr
epor
tofunt
rai
nedt
eacher
s
t
eachi
ngi
nschool
shaspr
obl
em i
nexpl
anat
ionanddel
i
ver
ingt
othei
rst
udent
s.
Al
sot
her
eexi
stqui
tedi
ff
erentout
comesamongst
udent
swhohav
ebeent
aught
byexper
tsandnov
ices.St
udi
eswer
econduct
edonagr
oupofexper
tteacher
s
andnov
ices.Exper
tteacher
shadshownsi
mil
arl
yhi
ghl
evel
sofst
udentgr
owt
h
ov
ert
ime,
andnov
iceswer
ebegi
nni
ngt
eacher
s.Amongt
hissetwenot
iced
consi
der
abl
evar
iabi
l
ityi
nknowl
edgeoff
undament
alf
ract
ionsconcept
s.The
di
ff
erencesbet
weennov
icesandexper
tswer
econsi
stentwi
thot
herr
esear
chon
exper
ti
se(
Chi
,Gl
aser
,&Rees,
1982;
Lar
kin,
1983)
:Exper
tshadmor
eel
abor
ate
anddeepercat
egor
iesf
orpr
obl
ems;
nov
iceshadmor
ehor
izont
al,
separ
ate-
cat
egor
ysy
stems.
3.Ment
ali
tyoft
hest
udent
s:TheMi
zosoci
etyhasbeenl
ongknownt
ohav
ea
ment
ali
ssuet
owar
dsMat
hemat
icsasasubj
ectandi
thasbeeni
mpl
ant
edi
nto
t
hemi
ndsoft
hey
oungl
ear
ner
swhohav
east
ereot
ypi
cvi
ewont
hesubj
ecti
tsel
f.
 Par
ent
sal
sopl
aymuchr
olei
nthi
scont
ext
.Inst
eadofemphasi
zi
ngonhowhar
d
t
hesubj
ecti
srat
hert
heyshoul
dencour
aget
hei
rchi
l
dtot
ryt
ounder
standt
he
subj
ectandmot
ivat
ethem t
odobet
ter
.

Fr
om t
heabov
est
atement
swecanconsi
dermat
hemat
icsasadi
ff
icul
tsubj
ectf
ormost
oft
hest
udent
s.I
tisev
identt
hatmi
sunder
standi
ngoft
heconceptandl
anguagebar
ri
er
t
obet
hemai
npr
obl
emst
hatt
hest
udent
sofMi
zor
am hasbeenf
aci
ngi
nlear
ning
mat
hemat
ics.St
udent
sar
eaccept
ingt
hev
alueofmat
hemat
ics,y
ett
heyhav
en’
tany
per
sonalv
alueat
tachedwi
thmat
hemat
ics.Though,t
heydonotl
i
kemat
hemat
icsbut
st
il
ltheyhav
etochooset
o st
udybecausei
tisacompul
sor
ysubj
ecti
nel
ement
aryand
secondar
ylev
elsof
ar.But
,whenat
aski
sdi
ff
icul
t,chancesofav
oidi
ngwi
l
lbehi
gher
.
Forbet
terout
comes,bot
hthet
eacherandst
udent
spl
ayi
mpor
tantr
olesaswel
last
hei
r
par
ent
s.Teacher
sshoul
dbewel
lpr
epar
edandwel
ltr
ainedaswel
lasputef
for
tin
del
i
ver
ing,
il
lust
rat
ingandmaki
ngt
hest
udent
sthebasi
cconcept
s.St
udent
sshoul
dal
so
pr
act
icesol
vi
ngmat
hemat
icspr
obl
em asar
egul
arbasi
sathomeandr
evi
seassoonas
possi
ble.Par
ent
s shoul
d al
so mot
ivat
ethei
rchi
l
d and cr
eat
e an open mi
nded
env
ironment
.Teacher
sandpar
ent
sneedt
ouseef
fect
iveway
stomot
ivat
est
udent
sto
l
ear
nmat
hemat
icsandcont
ri
but
etoi
mpr
ovest
udent
sli
ki
ngoft
hesubj
ect
s.
Bi
bli
ogr
aphy

Bal
l
,D.L.(
1988)
.Resear
chont
eachi
ngmat
hemat
ics:Maki
ngsubj
ectmat
terknowl
edge
par
toft
heequat
ion.

Gaf
oor
,K.A.
,& Kur
ukkan,A.(
2015,August19)
.WhyHi
gh SchoolSt
udent
sFeel
Mat
hemat
icsDi
ff
icul
t?ANExpl
orat
ionOfAf
fect
iveBel
i
efs.2-
3.

Lei
nhar
dt,
G.,
&Smi
th,
D.A.(
1985)
.Exper
ti
sei
nmat
hemat
icsi
nst
ruct
ion:
Subj
ectmat
ter
knowl
edge.77(
3),
247-
271.

Mundi
l
a,L.(
2010)
.Pr
obl
emsi
nlear
ningMat
hemat
ics:Compar
isonsofBr
uneiJuni
or
Hi
ghSchoolSt
udent
sinCl
asseswi
thandwi
thoutRepeat
ers.Jour
nalofMat
hemat
ics
Resear
ch,
2(3)
pp,
150-
160.

Tower
s,D.(
1985)
.Pr
obl
emsFacedbyMat
hemat
icsSt
udent
satt
heSchool
/Hi
gher
Educat
ionI
nter
face.Themat
hemat
icalAssoci
ati
on,
69No449,
180-
187.