Promoting Critical Thinking in Multilingual Mathematics Classes through Questioning

Abstract

This study explores how teacher questioning was used to foster critical thinking in selected Grade 11 multilingual mathematics classes in the Eastern Cape Province. A mixed-method design was used to collect and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data through classroom observations and interviews of three purposively selected Grade 11 mathematics teachers during their teaching of trigonometry and analytical geometry. The study was guided by Bloom's revised taxonomy. The study found that teachers in these multilingual classes used lower-order levels of questioning during teaching. Higher-order questions, which research has shown have the potential of promoting critical thinking, were infrequently used during teaching. The paper concludes that, while all the categories of Bloom's taxonomy are important, the ones that are crucial in promoting critical and higher-order thinking required at Grade 11 were not adequately used. Suggestions for improving questioning in mathematics teaching are explored.

Analisis pertanyaan guru dalam pembelajaran statistika berdasarkan revisi Taksonomi Bloom

“…Sebagian besar pertanyaan penting untuk mendorong pemikiran selama proses mengajar dan belajar. Meskipun terdapat banyak strategi yang dapat digunakan guru matematika untuk mempengaruhi proses berpikir siswa, namun Chikiwa & Schäfer (2018) mengemukakan bahwa pertanyaan guru memiliki dampak terbesar. Tingkat berfikir siswa berdasarkan hasil penelitian Sahamid (2016) berbanding lurus dengan sifat dan tingkat pertanyaan guru.…”

“…Menurut (Astuti dkk., 2017) untuk dapat memberdayakan HOTS di kelas, siswa tidak boleh hanya memiliki pengetahuan dasar dan pemahaman konsep namun dapat menerapkan apa yang mereka pelajari. Guru perlu merangsang pemikiran kritis dalam proses berpikir mereka (Chikiwa & Schäfer, 2018).…”

Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward the teaching of Mandarin in South Africa

“…Wang (2013: 25) views this global interest in Chinese as due to its growing importance for trade, diplomacy, cultural exchange and better jobs. Other benefits associated with being multilingual due to learning a foreign language that could be relevant for SA learners are academic achievement, cognitive development, critical thinking and multiculturalism (Burton, 2018;Chikiwa & Schäfer, 2018;Kormos & Kiddle, 2013). Citing Lo Bianco (2007: 6), Wang (2013) asserts that the popularity of Chinese could soon cause it to be regarded as the "new English".…”

Application of the Scientific Approach Using Guided Inquiry to View the Ability of Critical Thinking Students

“…For example, is a strategy to explain and give questions orally. Asking questions can be used as a teaching strategy in itself, or as part of another strategy [5]. In addition, lecturers are also required to understand various learning approaches in order to be able to guide students optimally [6].…”