VISUALIZATION AND READING

Reading is such an integral part of learning that if not nurtured correctly in mathematics can be detrimental to the learning and understanding process. In the 1990s the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) investigated learners reading knowledge and readiness as part of an essential skill to be part of normal society (Programme for International Student

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Assessment, 2012). The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) assesses reading and monitors trends in reading literacy every five years with the recent study in 2016. For me as a mathematics teacher, the result of the PISA investigation and The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is startling. The first startling fact is that there was no change in the reading abilities of learners in South Africa between PIRLS (2011) and PIRLS (2016). In 2016 PIRLS report, statistics showed that South Africa is the lowest performing country out of 50 countries and using the PIRLS scale of 40 points equalling 1 year of schooling, South Africa may be 6 years behind the top performing countries.

According to Debrenti (2013:1) reading, learning and understanding are the fundamental aspects to all kinds of learning “even more important in the case of learning mathematics”. Much research has shown that reading is a historic barrier to learning in South Africa and I don‟t want to subject this study in that direction. Suffice to state that it has been noted in classrooms in South Africa that when the learners cannot read the teacher reads the problem to them so that they are able to comprehend the problem. If this does not happen then the learners have to navigate themselves through the lesson like a sailing boat in the open ocean on a windless day. It is expected that all teachers should practice the idea of initially reading to their learners. The importance of this is reiterated in Draper (2002). As long as mathematicians pose and examine problems in order to unravel solutions, the teachers will have to support the learners make meaning of the literal text (Draper, 2002). In this manner mathematics can become achievable for each and every learner.

Hite (2009:7) reiterated that “to be a good math student, one needed to have solid reading skills”. Over the years I have discovered that reading gives the learners confidence to overcome the mathematics-reading disabilities. From my initial years of teaching to current, I have witnessed the deterioration of reading in schools. There are sufficient studies available (SACMEQ I, II, III and PIRLS) to lend credence to my observation. Factors lending itself within the South African education landscape are many. Over the years I have experimented and implemented many aspects relating to reading to assist me in my mathematics lessons. This was not limited to individual or choral reading, testing the spelling of mathematical concepts or teacher reading. Those learners who were chronically poor readers, I encouraged one to one peer reading. This assisted the learners to identify the key words within the problem and to comprehend the problem at hand. The „difficult‟ words, or concepts, went into their mathematics dictionary together with the meaning and a representation of the concept. Since visualization has aided reading as a teaching strategy over the years I discovered this to be an invaluable benefit to the subject. According to Hyde (2006:67), a strong proponent of using visualization, stated that “there are two ways students use visualization in mathematics that

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should come as no surprise: creating mental images as they read and creating representations of their mental images”. Training the learners to use visual skills in reading will cement the foundation for its use in mathematics problem solving. I read to my learners and ask them to illustrate what comes into their mind when I make reference to concepts in the problem. These illustrations reflect their mental understanding of the problem. As the learners progressed through the grade, I observed that by remembering the visual illustrations they were able to apply the concepts in non-routine problems or other mathematical situations. This plan of reading and illustration has brought much success in my years of teaching.

Reading develops both thinking and understanding. As reading is a development of constructing meaning from written language, the learners will need to think to comprehend and understand. They should therefore be encouraged to think, reflect and imagine. Since all learners have varying cognitive structures they will gather and assimilate information differently. By evaluating the visual representations (visualization will assist the learners to externalize their solutions) they will re-represent them in a logical manner in order to acquire a better understanding.

Much has been written on how learners must learn mathematics with understanding but I have discovered that many learners have extensive difficulties with reading with understanding. This in turn impacts on them determining the mathematical operations involved in the problem. This I have put down as poor reading accuracy and comprehension. This is further substantiated in The Annual National Assessment Report of 2014 (Department of Education, 2014). The difficulties arise when learners cannot comprehend a problem they revert to copying the solution of a previously given problem. The misunderstanding herein is that the learners cannot assimilate and relate to the given problem. One can therefore safely conclude that due to poor reading, thinking and comprehension skills that this tendency seems to be a barrier to successful problem solving.

Debrenti (2015) stated that it is imperative that we place immense importance on problem solving as it plays a significant role in developing comprehension. In the same vein I must stress that it is imperative that English and Mathematics teachers, albeit teaching two different subjects, join forces to cement the comprehension and mathematical vocabulary. Foshay (2003:2) stated we as teachers must continue placing importance on basic literacy skills with the learners in schools because problem solving skill depends on mastery of basic literacy skills. Since reading skills are often seen as an obstacle to developing comprehension, pre-service teachers should be aware of the magnitude of placing emphasis on making reading part of the mathematics class every day. They should be taught how to utilise mathematical dictionaries,

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journals, word lists, post problems and use technology to support both their learners and their teaching.

Studies have shown that it is not only the learners who are battling to read. Ozdogan et al (2011:2283) made a disquieting statement in their studies. They found that the “pre-service teachers do not understand what they read” and “pre-service teachers need to read more books in their university years” (Ozdogan et al, 2011:2283). This to me does not bode well for the future of the mathematics classroom and should be investigated further. Whilst it is an accepted norm universally that lecturers talk a lot during their lectures, I have lessened the „talk time‟ during lectures and have set the pre-service teachers more tasks which includes reading. These tasks are set to interrogate their thinking and are translated to discussion forums for developing their mathematical knowledge. They are „forced‟ to read the prescribed chapters or extracts from their reference textbooks to glean the material for discussion. They have to prepare a summary as notes. This assists them in using the acquired content knowledge to answer questions based for discussion. In this manner I engage them constructively in the discussion and at the same time ensuring that reading occurs concurrently.

Another avenue that needs to be explored is the pre-service teachers having reading included in one of their modules for their degree. If one considers the findings of Ozdogan et al (2011) then the pre-service teachers are least likely to teach efficiently as teaching involves reading in the classroom as well.

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