出版社：Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research (MCSER)
摘要：In the domain of mathematics education there have been series of debates on lexical ambiguity in algebra especially with the resurgence of mathematics educators’ awareness of the relevance of language in mathematics education. Therefore, this study investigated lexical ambiguity in algebra, method of teaching as determinant of grade 9 students’ academic performance in East London. A pre-test-post-test- quasi-experimental group design was adopted in the study. A sample of 109 students was involved in the study. The instruments adopted and structured for the study were lexical ambiguity questionnaire (LAAQ). Method of Instruction Questionnaire (MIQ) Problem Based Learning Strategies in two parts (PBLSa) and (PBLSb), Conventional Teaching Guide (C.T.G). They were tested at .05 level of significance using a two-way (2 x 2) Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings showed that students exposed to the PBLS achieved higher than their counterparts that were exposed to the Conventional method. Multiple Comparison Analysis and Tukey post-hoc were employed to detect the source of variation and the direction of significance. The findings also revealed that lexical ambiguity determines students’ academic performance (r=0.422; P<0.05); effect of the experiment on students post-test performance scores in lexical ambiguity (F (2,109) =.926; P< 0.05). Method of teaching is also said to be the determinant of students’ performance (r=0.764, P<0.05). Hence, there is need for teachers to update their knowledge about the problem solving skills that can be used as a remedy to mathematics phobia and ambiguities in algebra word problem; it should also be enshrined into the school curriculum.
