Teachers’ content knowledge, teaching methods and their encouragements that influence Grade 10 students’ mathematics learning in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Teachers’ content knowledge, teaching methods and their encouragement of students are important as they determine the students’ mathematics performance at secondary schools in Papua New Guinea (PNG). However, it is evident that significant number of students cannot continue to Grade 11, and simultaneously decline in student enrolment in science related degrees at the university level in PNG. That being the case, this study aims to examine teachers’ content knowledge, teaching methods and their encouragement that influence Grade 10 students’ mathematics results. A qualitative research approach (interview) is applied in this study. The interview data of nineteen Grade 10 mathematics teachers were analysed through thematic approach to capture rich information. This study highlights that teachers’ content knowledge, teaching methods and their encouragement of students have a significant influence on Grade 10 students’ mathematics learning. The study concludes that more attention should be given to these three factors at schools, in order to improve Grade 10 students’ mathematics learning.