THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF MATHEMATICS TEACHING AND LEARNING IN MALAYSIA ORANG ASLI PRIMARY SCHOOLS FROM TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVES

Authors

  • Ruzlan Md-Ali School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Arsaythamby Veloo School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia
  • S. Kanageswari Suppiah Shanmugam School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Yus’aiman Jusoh @ Yusoff School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Rosna Awang-Hashim School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32890/mjli2021.18.2.5

Keywords:

Orang Asli, Malaysia, mathematics teachers, school challenges, classroom challenges, community engagement

Abstract

Purpose - The Malaysian government has allocated a large budget for Orang Asli primary school education via the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) to help improve Orang Asli pupils’ academic performance including mathematics. Teachers face challenges in ensuring that Orang Asli pupils become competent learners of mathematics. Hence, this study examined the teachers’ perspectives on the issues and challenges in the teaching and learning of mathematics at Orang Asli primary schools in Malaysia.
 
Methodology - In this qualitative study, Two Orang Asli primary schools were randomly selected from eight primary schools within an Orang Asli Settlement in the District of Sungai Siput. The data were collected via focus group discussions and interviews, which were carried out during enculturation visits and were fully transcribed and thematically analysed. The research participants were purposively selected and comprised the schools’ administrators and mathematics teachers.
 
Findings - The results of the data analysis showed that there were two main themes, namely classroom challenges and school challenges, in determining mathematics competence among Orang Asli pupils. Classroom challenges consisted of five sub-themes namely coverage of mathematics syllabus, mathematics teaching and learning resources, pupil engagement, language barrier, and mathematics learning culture. School challenges consisted of two sub-themes namely school attendance and discipline. To enhance mathematics competence among Orang Asli pupils, it is deemed important to conduct programmes and community engagement.
 
Significance - This study contributes to the knowledge of the teaching and learning of mathematics at Orang Asli primary schools. It is recommended that teachers allow Orang Asli pupils to take home their mathematics textbooks so that they can complete their homework at home. Teachers are highly encouraged to conduct mathematics teaching and learning activities in groups to develop meaningful and engaging lessons.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Abdul Ghani A (2015) The teaching of Indigenous Orang Asli Language in Peninsular Malaysia. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Science, 208, 253-262.

Abdullah RB, Mamat, WHW, Amir Zal, WA, and Ibrahim, AMB (2013) Teaching and learning problems of the Orang Asli education: Students’ perspective. Asian Social Science, 9(12), 118–124.

Beswick K (2005) The beliefs/practice connection in broadly defined contexts. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 17, 39-68.

Clarke V and Braun V (2013) Teaching thematic analysis: Overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. The Psychologist , 26(2), 120-123.

Endicott K (ed) (2016) Malaysia’s Original People: Past, present and future of the Orang Asli. Singapore: National University Singapore Press.

Howard P (1995) Listening to what people have to say about mathematics: Primary mathematics and the thoughts of one Murri student. The Aboriginal Child at School, 23(2), 1-8.

Howard P and Perry B (2005) Learning mathematics: Perspectives of Australian Aboriginal children and their teachers. In Chick HL and Vincent JL (eds), Proceedings of the 29th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 3, 153-160. Melbourne: University of Melbourne.

Huang CS (2008) Shorten the indigenous mathematical learning gap - exploration and practice of activity and theory. Taipei: National Science Council.

Karubi NP, Goy SC, and Wong BWK (2013) The Temiar and the invisible wisdom of taboo: Survival strategy and sustainability. In Abdullah NFL and Rakri MR (eds), Retracing tradition for a sustainable future: The Malaysian experience (pp. 22-33). Penang: Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Sicat LV and David MED (2016) Performance in Basic Mathematics of Indigenous Students. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(2), 320-325.

Meaney T, Mcmurchy-Pilkington C and Trinick T (2012) Indigenous Students and the Learning of Mathematics. In Perry B et al. (eds). Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia 2008–2011, 67–87. Sense Publishers.

Minority Rights Group International (2018) World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples: Malaysia Orang Asli. Retrieved from https://Minorityrights.Org/Minorities/Orang-Asli/

Mohd Asri MN (2012) Advancing the Orang Asli through Malaysia’s Clusters of Excellence Policy. Journal of International and Comparative Education, 1(2), 90-103.

Mohd Roslan R (2016) Indigenous Education Policy in Malaysia: A discussion of normalization in schooling. Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 4, 25-32.

Nagata S (2006) Subgroup ‘names’ of the Sakai (Thailand) and the Semang (Malaysia): A literature survey. Anthropological Science , 114, 45-57.

Nicholas C (2006) The state of Orang Asli education and its root problems. An article prepared in July 2006 for the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM). Retrieved from http://www.coac.org.my/codenavia/portals/coacv2/images/articles/OA%20Education.pdf

Nicholas C, Jenita E and Teh YP (2010) The Orang Asli and the UNDRIP: From rhetoric to recognition. Subang Jaya, Malaysia: Centre for Orang Asli Concerns.

Nordin R, Hassan, Y and Danjuma I (2018) Orang Asli student icons: An innovative teaching method for Orang Asli students. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 26(1), 219-238.

Norhalifah HK, Syaza FH, Chambers GK and Edinur HA (2016) The genetic history of Peninsular Malaysia. Gene, 586, 129-135.

Norwaliza A, Ramlee M, and Abdul Razaq A (2016) The Roles of Administrators in Aboriginal Schools: A Case Study in a Malaysian State. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 6(5), 370-374. DOI: 10.7763/IJSSH.2016.V6.674

Ramle A, Wan Hasmah WM, Amir Zal WA, and Asmawi I (2013) Teaching and Learning Problems of the Orang Asli Education: Students' Perspective. Asian Social Science ,9(12), 118-124.

Ramlee M (2013) Attributes that affect self-efficacy and career development of Orang Asli youth in Peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Southeast Asian Education, 6(1), 1-24. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/7555756

Sarra C (2011) Strong and Smart – Towards a Pedagogy for Emancipation. London: Routledge.

Sharifah MN, Samsilah R, Aminuddin M, Kamaruddin AH, Mohamad Azhar MA and Jaimah AM (2011) Dropout prevention initiatives for Malaysian indigenous Orang Asli children. The International Journal on School Disaffection, 8(1), 42-56.

Schuck S and Grootenboer PJ (2004) Affective issues in mathematics education. In B. Perry B, C. Diezmann C and Anthony G (eds.) Review of mathematics education in Australasia 2000-2003 (pp. 53-74). Flaxton, QLD: Post Pressed.

Wan Afizi WH, Shaharuddin A and Noraziah A (2014) Faktor budaya dan persekitaran dalam prestasi pendidikan anak Orang Asli Malaysia: Kajian kes di Kelantan. GEOGRAFIA Online TM Malaysian Journal of Society and Space, 10(5), 107-122.

Wong BWK and Abdillah KK (2018) Poverty and primary education of the Orang Asli children. In Joseph C (ed.), Policies and politics in Malaysian education: Education reforms, nationalism and neoliberalism (pp. 54-71). Ney York: Routledge.

Additional Files

Published

31-07-2021

How to Cite

Md-Ali, R. ., Veloo, A. ., Suppiah Shanmugam, S. K. ., Jusoh @ Yusoff, Y. ., & Awang-Hashim, R. (2021). THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF MATHEMATICS TEACHING AND LEARNING IN MALAYSIA ORANG ASLI PRIMARY SCHOOLS FROM TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 18(2), 129–160. https://doi.org/10.32890/mjli2021.18.2.5