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A study of basic numeracy skills: Primary education student teachers at the Institute of Education (Singapore)
Citation
Singapore Journal of Education, 11(1), 74-81
Date Issued
1990
Description
This study concerns the basic mathematical skius
and attitudes of prospective primary school
teachers at the Institute of Education, Singapore.
The study was prompted by a concern for basic
standards in mathematics education.
As these trainees are admitted to the Institute
of Education on the basis of their overall Cambridge
A-Level Examination results, it is conceivable
that not all of them possess a strong mathematical
background. At the Institute, they take a
compulsory methodology course - Teaching
Mathematics in the Primary School, preparing
them to teach Mathematics in the Primary school.
Despite the varying mathematical background,
there is no optional or compulsory mathematics
content course available in the curriculum to equip
the needy and neither are they required to pass
any mathematics test before graduating from their
teacher training programme.
A test comprising 40 testing skills items
adapted from the Primary Teacher Education
program of the St George Institute of Education
(SGIE) in Sydney was administered to 173 (15
male and 158 female) 2nd year Certificate-in-
Education students at the Institute of Education
in February 1990. At the SGIE, all students of the
Primary Teacher Education Program are required
to pass a basic skius test in mathematics at the
75% mastery level.
At the Institute of Education, 18.5% (or 32) of
the students failed to obtain a pass at the 75%
mastery level although the mean score for the
sample was 33.68.
The study also shed light on the trainee teachers'
perceptions of mathematics as a subject,
and personal confidence in doing and teaching
mathematics.
and attitudes of prospective primary school
teachers at the Institute of Education, Singapore.
The study was prompted by a concern for basic
standards in mathematics education.
As these trainees are admitted to the Institute
of Education on the basis of their overall Cambridge
A-Level Examination results, it is conceivable
that not all of them possess a strong mathematical
background. At the Institute, they take a
compulsory methodology course - Teaching
Mathematics in the Primary School, preparing
them to teach Mathematics in the Primary school.
Despite the varying mathematical background,
there is no optional or compulsory mathematics
content course available in the curriculum to equip
the needy and neither are they required to pass
any mathematics test before graduating from their
teacher training programme.
A test comprising 40 testing skills items
adapted from the Primary Teacher Education
program of the St George Institute of Education
(SGIE) in Sydney was administered to 173 (15
male and 158 female) 2nd year Certificate-in-
Education students at the Institute of Education
in February 1990. At the SGIE, all students of the
Primary Teacher Education Program are required
to pass a basic skius test in mathematics at the
75% mastery level.
At the Institute of Education, 18.5% (or 32) of
the students failed to obtain a pass at the 75%
mastery level although the mean score for the
sample was 33.68.
The study also shed light on the trainee teachers'
perceptions of mathematics as a subject,
and personal confidence in doing and teaching
mathematics.