• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.301-321
• /
• 2012

Since research has barely been done on the minority with low-achievement & low-SES in probability, this research attempted to search the change of their thinking level in the classes of probability and motivate them on the mathematical learning to feel confident in mathematics. We can say that the problems of the educational discriminations are due to the overlook on the individual conditions, situations, and environments. Therefore, in order to resolve some discrimination, 4 students who belonged to the minority group, engaged in the research, based on 10 units of the instructional materials designed for the research. As a result, for the student's thinking level, it was observed that they were improved from the 1st to the 3rd level in probability. Also, the researcher found that the adequate use of the encouragement, the praise, the direct explanation, and the scaffolding enabled them to prompt their learning motives and the increased responsibility on the learning. As time passed, the participants could share their mathematical knowledge and its concept with others, in the increased confidence.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.203-227
• /
• 2012

This was to investigate how the slow learners who specially belonged to low-SES, or North Korean defectors showed their errors in mathematical learning. To conduct the study, two groups for each minority group participated in the study volunteerly during the Winter vacation, in 2011. Based on the preliminary interviews, a total of 15 units were given, focusing on building mathematical basic concepts. As results, they had some errors in common. They both were in lack of understanding of the terminologies and not able to apply the meanings of definitions and theorems to a problem. Because of uncertainty of basic knowledge of mathematics, they easily lost their focus and were apt to make a mistake. Also, they showed clear differences. North Korean defectors were not accustomed to using or understanding the meanings of Chines or English in Korean words in expressing, writing mathematical terminologies and reading data on the context. Technical errors, and misinterpreted errors were found. However, students from the low SES showed that they were familiar with mathematical words and terminologies, but their errors mostly belonged to carelessness because of the lack of mastering mathematical concepts.