Poverty, inequality and mathematics performance: the case of South Africa’s post-apartheid context

Graven, Mellony

doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0566-7

Cited by 68 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…More importantly for this paper, however, we argue that it was constrained by her students learning mathematics in and through a language in which they had limited proficiency. Graven (2014) noted that South Africa's apartheid history "systematically disempowered people politically, economically, socially and educationally (p. 1048). The limited access Ms M's students had to their first language we see as core to their ongoing educational disempowerment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In terms of the local setting for our paper, as noted, South Africa's apartheid past created deep divisions along racial and linguistic lines, which played out also in socio-economic terms whereby it is mainly the country's Black people who continue to occupy the country's lower socio-economic strata. Not only is Mathematics performance in South African schools poor compared to other countries, it also has among the largest performance gaps across its different socio-economic strata (Graven 2014).…”

Section: Vygotsky As a Conceptual Source For Focusing On Episodes Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using a transdisciplinary framework to examine mathematics classroom talk taking place in and through a second language

Robertson

Graven

2018

ZDM Mathematics Education

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This paper proposes a transdisciplinary framework to allow for a multifocal exploration of classroom talk practices. It draws on data from a broader study of talk in South African Grade 4 mathematics classrooms where the language of teaching and learning (English) was the home language for neither the teachers nor their students. Lesson transcript data from one teacher's lessons on fractions are used to demonstrate how working with three strands of conceptual insight from the disciplines of psychology, sociology and linguistics conduces to a potentially richer understanding of a teacher's use of classroom talk in mediating her students' mathematical understanding. By drawing on elements of Vygotsky's sociocultural psychology, we make visible in the lesson data the ways in which this teacher used the 'everyday' in trying to navigate her students' towards more 'scientific' conceptualizations of unit fractions. By then taking up aspects of Bernstein's sociological work, we articulate, and make visible, how societal circumstances impinge on students' access to exploratory mathematical discourse needed for epistemological access to abstract and generalized mathematical concepts. Finally, through Halliday's work on the power of particular linguistic registers for meaning-making, we highlight challenges in learning mathematics in and through a second language and reveal the constraints placed on students' opportunity to maximally exploit the distinct forms of meaning contained within the mathematics register.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Vygotsky As a Conceptual Source For Focusing On Episodes Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Using a transdisciplinary framework to examine mathematics classroom talk taking place in and through a second language

Robertson

Graven

2018

ZDM Mathematics Education

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“…Research findings state that students from poor families are likely to perform poorly compared to those from rich families [4,22]. In Europe, parents from upper social classes take advantage of the best educational options to make the transition to the labor market with better rewarded credentials [9,28]. Interviews with key informants According to the study findings, more schools in Mukono as compared to those from Gulu had well established old students associations which help students from their former schools extend their interactions and networks beyond different places resulting into higher social capital.…”

Section: Was Insulted By a Classmate That We Are Poor And I Am Alwamentioning

confidence: 99%

Educational Inequality and Quality of Life: A Comparative Study of Secondary Schools in Central and Northern Uganda

Naamara¹,

Nabasumba²,

Nabadda³

2017

Arts Social Sci J

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Objective: Drawing on a comparative analysis from central and northern regions of Uganda, we identified the factors that are associated with educational inequality and quality of life in secondary schools in both regions. Methods:Our sample comprised of 358 students and 72 key informants, primary data were mainly collected through interviews and structured questionnaires. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was done by identifying common themes based on the objectives of the study, while quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results:Most of the factors that were identified applied to both regions as the central region has a significant number or people from other parts of the country including the northern region. However, some factors were more prevalent in the northern region. Among the factors that were found to bring about inequality in both regions included gender-based inequality, family economic status and policy related factors. Conclusion:Overall, the study concluded that the central region is better equipped to offer quality education due to availability of a better infrastructure and staff remuneration, however, efforts are being made to improve the quality of education in the northern region as well.

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“…From 1948, all South Africans not designated 'white' were denied democratic participation, and state resources were allocated differentially for services such as education and health. Over time, the formal imposition of apartheid from 1948 accelerated the wealth gap between population groups (Graven 2014(Graven :1041.…”

Section: Causes Of Poverty In Post-1994 South Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

A practical theological approach to the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa: Apostolic Faith Mission as a case study

Kgatle

2017

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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This article demonstrates a practical theological approach to the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa by using Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) as a case study. It argues that while the Reconstruction Development Plan, the Growth Employment and Reconstruction strategy, Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, New Growth Path and the National Development Plan have achieved some level of economic growth, the majority of people in South Africa still live in poverty. To establish this argument, the article starts first by describing the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa. The different economic approaches to the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa are also explained in detail. Lastly, the article elaborates on the ways in which the AFM through its local assemblies can alleviate poverty. The article concludes that the AFM is a collaborator to the post-1994 South African government.

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Poverty, inequality and mathematics performance: the case of South Africa’s post-apartheid context

Cited by 68 publications

References 11 publications

Using a transdisciplinary framework to examine mathematics classroom talk taking place in and through a second language

Using a transdisciplinary framework to examine mathematics classroom talk taking place in and through a second language

Educational Inequality and Quality of Life: A Comparative Study of Secondary Schools in Central and Northern Uganda

A practical theological approach to the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa: Apostolic Faith Mission as a case study

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