A Research On Communication In Mathematics Classroom In Secondary Schools In Machakos County, Kenya

Communication in mathematics classroom directly affects the way concepts are conveyedto the students by the teacher and this affects the performance in the subject. Recentresearch works on secondary school mathematics performance has highlighted theimportance of communication in improving the teaching and learning process. In Kenya,there has been low performance recorded in mathematics in many secondary schools.Lack of effective communication in mathematics classroom is considered to be one of themain factors influencing students’ performance. Therefore, this research examinedcommunication in the teaching and learning process in mathematics classrooms insecondary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. Specifically, it investigated a range ofteacher-and student-related factors influencing communication, the prevailing pattern ofcommunication in mathematics classroom, and the challenges faced in communication inthe mathematics classroom. The framework used in this study is the Transactional modelof communication adopted from Barnlund (2008).The study employed survey research design in which the main instrument for datacollection was questionnaire supplemented with interviews. The study involved a sampleof43mathematics teachers and143students from8public secondary schools inMachakos County in eastern Kenya. The quantitative data collected throughquestionnaires, was analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data wasanalyzed thematically by looking at important themes which emerged in the discussion.Both quantitative and qualitative findings from data analysis showed that majority of theteachers and students had a positive attitude towards mathematics. Most of them werealso conversant with the application of mathematics content in day to day life. Moreover,teacher’s own mathematics content background, their clarity while teaching and theirinterest in teaching mathematics were minor challenges. These positive attributes didcontribute to effective communication in mathematics classroom.However, contributive pattern of communication emerged as the most frequently usedmode of communication in mathematics lessons in the majority of the sampled secondaryschools. The use of open-ended questions and group discussions was found almostmissing in majority of the mathematics lessons. Further, low level of teacher-student interaction, lack of teaching and learning materials, student absenteeism and large classsize were the main communication challenges faced. This may possibly have contributedto ineffective communication between the teacher and students in mathematics classroom.Teachers have to balance their communication concerns (self-, task-and impact-concerns)and frequently use open-ended questions and group discussions. This could stimulateeffective communication and make abstract concepts more concrete and easier forstudents’ understanding. Subsequently, the Ministry of Education, the schooladministration and other relevant educational authorities should focus on addressing theissue of teacher-student ratio, provision of teaching and learning materials and ensuringthat mathematics teachers continuously undergo professional development trainings inorder to refresh and enhance knowledge and teaching skills. This would consequentlylead to effective communication in the classroom.