TOPIC :The Impct of Teachers’

Teaching Style on Pupil’s Learning Style In Selected Primary School in Perak,

Malaysia.

MAIN AUTHOR: DR. RAMLAH JANTAN (ramlah.j@fppm.upsi.edu.my)

Co Author : DR. MD. NASIR MASRAN, DR. ABD.AZIZ SHUKOR, DR. SUPPIAH NACHIAPPAN, MRS. ROSLINDA

MUSTAPHA.

Since the Ministry of Education introduced the teaching and learning mathematics in English (ETEMS) in 2003, many of those who objected because they thought this would cause difficulties to pupils because Mathematics and English were difficult subjects.

However the study conducted by the ministry showed that students in primary one rapidly adapt to the subject with an average score of the subjects was 69.3% in Science, Mathematics (77.4%) and English (77.7%).

…Sambungan

Statement of ProblemAccording to the form one student

achievement analysis from the 20 best schools in the study also found that the achievement of rural schools are at par with the performance of schools in the city. So the parents shouldn’t be worried about their children performance.

But vice-versa the parents still worry and hope the government will turn back to the old system of teaching Mathematics and Science using Malay language.

Statement Of Problem

So through this study researcher try to establish the facts that it were not language that is at fault but teacher’s teaching style and pupil’s learning style that matter most.

Few research have shown that Mathematics teacher’s teaching style was often attributed as reasons for the failure of students (Bush, 1989; Ruhana, NST, 2002; Norlia, 2006 )

Statement Of Problem Mc Carty (1993) also contended that learning

will become effective if teacher teach in accordance with the student’s learning style. Thus, teachers play an important role in achieving the goals of education.

So in this study, the authors would like to examine the relationship of teacher’s teaching styles with student’s learning styles and their impact on mathematic’s achievment.

What are the teaching styles used by Mathematics teachers’ in primary schools ?

What are the pupils’ learning styles in primary school in learning mathematics?

What is the impact of teachers’ teaching style on the pupils’ academic achievement?

• Grasha (1996) defines teaching style as the quality of the teachers in teaching, including personality and consistent behavioral conduct owned by a teacher during the teaching and learning process in the classroom.

• In this study we used 4 category of teaching style as stated by Grasha (1996) which were (1)' expert ‘ (2) personal model (3) 'facilitator', and (4)'delegator'. •We exclude ‘formal authority’ because all the teachers have to follow syllabus given by the ministry.

Definition of Teachers’ Teaching StyleExpert - teacher was experience in teaching,

at least have been teaching for 5 years and was well-verse with the subject matter.

Personel Model – teacher used his/her experience in learning during the teaching process. They tried to make the lesson easier for the students by using meaningful example or associate it with everyday events.

Fascilitator –teacher asked pupils how they solve the problem. If they can’t solve it, he/she will guide them.

Definition..Delegator –ask the students to solve problem

first, later give them the correct answer.

Witkin and Goodenough: (1977) “The characteristic self consistent modes of functioning which individuals show in their perceptual and intellectual activities.”

The students were categorize into 2 groups: “Field-Independent” (FI) or “Field-Dependent” (FD) using Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) by Witkin & Goodenough (1977)

Definition …FI – were pupils who like to experiment or

solve mathematic s problem on their own with little help from teacher. They were proactive , self-motivated and competent. They can separate important and less-important facts easily.

FD –were pupils who are dependent on teacher’s teaching. They like to work in group and dependent on each other. They have difficulty in separating important and less important facts.

Participants of this reseach comprises of 163 primary school pupils (58 male, 105 female). They were pupils from standard 4 & 6 primsary school and ages from 10 to 12 years old.

The participant also include 5 mathematics teachers (4 males and 1 female).

Research Instruments UsedGEFT Test for the pupils.Structured Questionnaire for teachers.InterviewObservation/ Recorded teacher’s teaching

session.

FindingsTeacher’s Teaching Style

Teacher Teaching Style

Sharifah Expert, Personal Model

Othman Expert, Personal Model

Baharuddin Expert, Personal Model

Abd. Kadir Expert, Fascilitator

Muthusamy Expert, Fascilitator

FindingsThe researcher concluded, a teacher may

have several teaching styles or mixed teaching style.

For example, Teacher Sharifah having mixed teaching style that was expert and personal model, beside expert in the subject she also have her own style in teaching such as persistent on the pupils finishing the exercise given at the end of every lesson. She asked the pupils’ to pass up their book at the end of every lesson.

FindingsTeacher Othman also having mixed teaching

style that is expert and personal model. Besides expert in subjects content-knowledge, he also have his own personal teaching style. Before he begin his lesson, he will asked the pupils to do exercise to see whether they understand yesterday lesson. If they don’t understand, he will repeat yesterday lesson first before he continue to the next topic. He will give abundant homework to the pupils because he believed drilling technique was good for Mathematics learning.

Findings – Pupils’ Learning StyleSchool Learning Style

SK Methodist Field Dependent 7(Male), 5 (Female)

Field Independent 10(Male), 16(Female)

SK Hulu Bernam FD 5(Male),23(Female)

FI 3(Male), 2 (Female)

SK Kuala Kubu Baharu

FD 3(Male), 4(Female)

FI 5(Male), 8(Female)

SK Tg. Malim FD 8(Male), 14(Female)

FI 5(Male), 6 (Female)

SK Aminuddin Baki FD 5(Male), 14(Female)

FI 7(Male), 13 (Female)

Regarding pupils learning styles, from the total of 163 pupils involved in this study, researchers found many of the students were from dependent learning styles.

Many girls have field dependent learning style, compared with boys.

Regarding achievement in mathematics, the dependent learning styles pupils achieved better than students with independent learning style.

ConclusionTeacher’s with expert and personel model

teaching style were more suitable teacher for Field-Dependent students.

Regarding pupils’ academic achievement based on students' cognitive styles in mathematics, teaching styles were found to have influence on pupils’ learning in mathematics. This is because, when teachers adopt teaching styles that were suitable with their cognitive syle , student’s learn more and achieve better in their exam.

ConclusionBased on these findings, it appears that teachers’

teaching style had influence on pupils' academic achievement.

The higher the pupils' level of understanding in mathematics, the higher their score will be in the test.

The results of this study supported the findings by Dunn and Norlia (2006) who stated that when teachers’ teaching style match with the student's cognitive style, will benefit the students. This is shown by the increase in performance in their exam results.

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