The Relationship Between Mathematical Problem Solving Skills, Interest in Mathematics and Reading Comprehension: A Study at Primary Level

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between primary school students' mathematical problem solving skills and their interest in mathematics and reading comprehension. In this quantitative study, which was conducted using correlational research methods, 67 students in the 7th grade of a private primary school in Konya province participated. A questionnaire was used to measure students' interest in mathematics, short texts were used to measure their reading comprehension skills, and five different mathematical problems were used to measure their problem-solving skills. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data and Pearson correlation analysis was preferred. The results of the study show that there is a strong and significant relationship between interest in mathematics, reading comprehension and mathematical problem solving skills. In particular, reading comprehension was found to have a stronger relationship with mathematical problem solving. These findings emphasise that affective aspects and reading competence should be considered in mathematics education in addition to cognitive aspects.

Keywords

• Math Interest
• Reading Comprehension
• Problem Solving

Matematik İlgisi ve Okuduğunu Anlama ile İlişkilendirilmiş Matematik Problemi Çözme Becerileri: İlköğretim Düzeyinde Araştırma

Abstract

Bu çalışma, ilköğretim öğrencilerinin matematik problemi çözme becerilerinin matematik ilgisi ve okuduğunu anlama ile olan ilişkisini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Korelasyonel araştırma yöntemleri kullanılarak yürütülen bu nicel araştırmada, Konya ilinde özel bir ilköğretim okulunda 7. sınıfa devam eden 67 öğrenci katılımcı olarak yer almıştır. Öğrencilerin matematik ilgisini ölçmek için bir anket, okuduğunu anlama becerilerini ölçmek için kısa metinler ve problem çözme becerilerini ölçmek için beş farklı matematik problemi kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizi için tanımlayıcı ve çıkarımsal istatistikler kullanılmış, Pearson korelasyon analizi tercih edilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları, matematik ilgisi, okuduğunu anlama ve matematiksel problem çözme becerileri arasında güçlü ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğunu göstermektedir. Özellikle okuduğunu anlamanın, matematiksel problem çözme becerileri ile daha güçlü bir ilişkiye sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu bulgular, matematik eğitiminde bilişsel yönlerin yanı sıra duyuşsal yönlerin ve okuma yeterliliğinin de dikkate alınması gerektiğini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

• Matematik İlgisi
• Okuduğunu Anlama
• Problem Çözme Becerileri

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