Abstract
This study focuses on teachers’ engagement with tasks based on the income tax tables issued by the South African tax authorities. The participants in the study are a group of 37 teachers who were enrolled in an in-service programme for Mathematical Literacy teachers. The purpose of the study is to explore the teachers’ interpretation and use of the rule used to calculate income tax. Data were generated from written responses of the teachers to three tasks, as well as follow-up interviews with eight of the participants. The findings indicate that some teachers (8%) did not recognise any of the demands inherent in the income tax rule that they teach to their learners. Most teachers (54%) were in the novice category, showing that they met some of the demands but need some help in carrying out the rule fluently. A further 32% were able to use the rule to work out the tax given various input incomes, but could not use the rule to find the input income when given the tax output, because they did not have the necessary algebraic skill.
Highlights
The introduction of Mathematical Literacy (ML) in South Africa in 2006 led to exciting opportunities for mathematics literacy educators in terms of developing new classroom materials, assessment activities, as well as research studies that focus on real-life contexts
By looking at what we call a contextual rule, we hope to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of what conceptual understanding in ML could be, and how this could relate with conceptual understanding in mathematics
One of the aims of ML is to promote informed decision-making in real-life situations by using mathematical skills to recognise, interpret and use the contextual resources appropriately
Summary
The introduction of Mathematical Literacy (ML) in South Africa in 2006 led to exciting opportunities for mathematics literacy educators in terms of developing new classroom materials, assessment activities, as well as research studies that focus on real-life contexts. ML as a subject includes ‘elementary mathematical concepts and skills’ (commonly understood as those mathematics domains that are studied in the GET phase) It comprises a number of contextual domains that are deemed to be useful in attaining the lifepreparation goals of ML, which seek to develop self-managing persons, contributing workers and participating citizens The purpose of this study is to explore the varying levels of engagement with a contextual rule located in the income tax domain. The research question that underpins this study is: How do ML teachers engage with the income tax contextual rule?
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