Evidence of acquisition of reading skill related to mathematics: data from the international literacy study pilot testing: the case of Zimbabwe

This study was carried out in 1989 as a part of the International Reading Literacy Pilot Study. A selected sample of 240 pupils in Form II during 1989 were administered the four forms of the pilot test. A number of the items were concerned with the reading of tables, including timetables and graphs, which is a specifically mathematical reading skill. These items were analyzed to gain an overview of the reading skills in mathematics possessed by Zimbabwean pupils. On the whole, it was found that these skills (which were specifically covered in the primary school mathematics syllabus) were acquired by the majority of pupils. This was quite encouraging since being able to read mathematics is so closely related to being able to leam mathematics. There was some concern, however, that those items which call for greater interpretation, extrapolation and analysis were less well done and again, as in other related studies, we see the weakness of the pupils in acquiring higher order processing skills. It is recommended that further research in this area be carried out and that greater emphasis be placed on the higher order processing skills so that pupils acquire problem solving skills.

A ZJER study on the evidence of acquisition of reading skills related to mathematics in Zimbabwe schools.