Lower Secondary Grades Research Articles

Exploring the relationship between students' attitudes and fraction sense proficiency across lower secondary grades

Understanding fractions is a critical mathematical skill necessary for more advanced mathematical concepts and applications. However, many students struggle with fraction sense, which is the foundational understanding and flexible use of fractions. This study aims to explore the relationship between students' attitudes toward learning fractions and their proficiency in fraction sense in lower secondary grades. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 296 students aged 13 to 15 using the Fraction Sense Test (FST) and the Attitudes Towards Learning Fractions Questionnaire (ATLF). The study found that students consistently struggled with fractional concepts, achieving low scores across all grades. Nevertheless, a significant, though diminishing, relationship was observed between positive attitudes towards fractions and fraction sense proficiency from Secondary One to Secondary Three. These findings suggest the need to integrate meaningful fraction learning approaches to maintain students' positive attitudes, thereby improving their overall mathematical competence.

Primary and lower secondary students’ learning agency and social support

Making initiatives and having ownership over one’s learning is a key for applying and creating knowledge, acquiring new abilities, actively steering one’s life and the engaging in change in society. Understanding the preconditions for such learning should be in the core of designing learning environments and the primary interest of frontline learning research. This study focuses on exploring students’ sense of their learning agency in studying and the role of teacher and peer support in cultivating it. We examined how primary (grades 1-6) and lower secondary school students (grades 7-9) perceive their learning agency (LA), its relationship with the experienced teacher and peer support in studying. Also, differences between the girls and boys, and schools located in low and high SES neighborhoods was examined. We assessed the structure and level of learning agency by using a new measurement and explorative structural equation modeling (ESEM). Results show that learning agency consists of interdependent elements of motivation to learn, self-efficacy beliefs about learning and strategies for learning in meaning making, problem solving and scaffolding in studying. The experienced learning agency was related to social support experienced in several ways. Also differences in learning agency and social support in terms of grade level, gender and SES were detected. Results indicate that meaning making especially calls for intentional support from teachers in lower secondary grades and that girls and boys have partly different support needs in terms of cultivating strong sense of learning agency.

Explicit grammar instruction in the EFL classroom: studying the impact of age and gender

Abstract The long-standing emphasis on communicative language teaching has resulted in a de-emphasis of explicit grammar instruction (EGI) in favour of an implicit, intuitive approach to learning grammar that can lead to fossilized errors, which learners are then unable to correct. In terms of research, relatively little is known about how students and teachers approach EGI, especially at transition points between primary and secondary school. This article reports on an online questionnaire-based study that explored the beliefs of 405 learners and 17 teachers (including the latter’s reported practices) regarding EGI in the English classroom in primary and lower-secondary grades in Norway. The findings revealed that primary school students, as well as female participants, had more positive beliefs about EGI than those in lower-secondary schools (and male participants). Furthermore, teachers’ and students’ affective beliefs about EGI differed meaningfully sometimes, as did teachers’ implementation of EGI-related activities that the students most enjoyed.

Integration of Food Literacy and Food Numeracy Across Australian Secondary Schools’ Curriculum: Teachers’ Opinions in a Mixed Method Study

Objective: This article reports the findings from a convergent parallel mixed method study, aiming to ascertain the opinions of New South Wales (Australia) government secondary school teachers on integration of food literacy and food numeracy (FL&FN) across secondary school curriculum. Methods: Participants were invited to take part in an anonymous survey and a semi-structured interview [n (email invitations) =401 schools, duration of study=17 weeks]. Their opinions were sought on the integration of FL&FN within their own subject, in all subjects, in whole school programs and as an additional cross-curriculum priority. The collected qualitative and quantitative data were analysed separately, using analytic software programs, and discussed together. Results: Participants in quantitative and qualitative components [n (surveys received) =200, (valid surveys) =118, n (interviews conducted) =14] reported higher feasibility rates in lower secondary grades and stated several barriers and enablers for this integrative pedagogy. Conclusion: If FL&FN is to become an integral part of secondary school curriculum, a collaborative approach by secondary and tertiary education sectors is required to address two main barriers i.e., provision of teacher training and teaching resources. Implications for public education: The reported poor dietary intake among Australian adolescents and its impact on public health, cognitive development, economy, and environment requires further strengthening of school-based food and nutrition education interventions such as the proposed integration of FL&FN across secondary school curriculum. This study provides an initial insight into the feasibility of this proposal.

Assessing and Mapping Reading and Writing Motivation in Third to Eight Graders: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective.

The twofold aim of this study was to substantiate the validity of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire-Reading Motivation and Self-Regulation Questionnaire-Writing Motivation for third to eight graders and to map motivational trends in elementary and secondary education students’ academic and recreational reading and writing. More specifically, we adopted the innovative and coherent theoretical framework of the Self-Determination Theory to study qualitatively different motives for reading and writing and to examine the relationships between them. In total, 2,343 students from third to eighth grade were involved. Based on confirmatory factor analyses, a two-factor model, distinguishing between autonomous and controlled motivation, for academic and recreational reading and writing was confirmed in all grades. Furthermore, the scales were reliable, and the measurement models were invariant across students’ gender and their general achievement level. Despite the absence of strong invariance for the measurement models across each of the different grades, we found evidence that students within the same grade level (i.e., middle elementary, upper elementary, and lower secondary grade) interpreted the SRQ-Reading and Writing scale items in a conceptually similar way. Factor correlations confirmed the interrelatedness of reading and writing motives, as well as strong associations between students’ motivation to read and write in either academic and recreational contexts. Finally, concerning the motivational trends, the present results advert to a significant decline of students’ autonomous motivation to read and write, both in and outside school. Accordingly, we point out that the late elementary and the lower secondary grades are crucial phases to engage students in motivating literacy activities. In light of these alarming results, we recommend future experimental research studies to focus on evaluating the effectiveness of instructional reading and writing activities that foster students’ innate need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Improving Mathayom 2/2 Student Learning Interest in Cell Materials Using Augmented Reality (AR) in Streesmutprakan School, Samut Prakan Province, Thailand

This study aimed to describe the use of media Augmented Reality (AR) to improve learning interest in Matayom 2/2 class students who are lower secondary grades at Streesmutprakan School. This was a classroom action research (CAR) consisting of two cycles. Each cycle consists of planning stage, acting, observing and reflecting stage. The subjects of this study were all 34 students of Matayom 2/2 class. Data collection techniques included observation, interviews, and documentary analysis. Data analysis techniques used qualitative descriptive analysis. The results showed that students' learning interest in the first cycle was 3.3 with medium criteria, increasing to 4.4 with high criteria in the second cycle. The use of media Augmented Reality (AR) can increase students learning interest in Matayom 2/2 at Streesmutprakan School, Samut Prakan Province, Thailand.
 
 Keywords: Augmented Reality, Cell Material, 3D Media, Learning Interest.

Motivation to study music in Australian schools: The impact of music learning, gender, and socio-economic status

This study extends an eight-country mapping exercise (McPherson & O’Neill, 2010; see Research Studies in Music Education issues 2010–2011) to include students’ motivation to study music within the Australian context. It sought to determine whether music learners (students learning an instrument or voice), might be more motivated to study academic subjects at school, and whether gender and socio-economic status (SES) affected student motivation to learn music at school. A total of 2,727 students from grades 5 to 12 completed a questionnaire based on Eccles and Wigfield’s expectancy-value framework. Data collected included: ratings of competence beliefs, interest, importance, usefulness and difficulty for music, English, maths, and science; indications of whether the students were currently learning a musical instrument or voice (music learners); and whether they would like to if given the opportunity. There was an overall significant decline in competence beliefs, interest, importance, and usefulness across the school years, in contrast with increased task difficulty ratings across the school years. Music learners reported significantly higher competence beliefs, interest, importance, usefulness, and less task difficulty than non-music learners. This advantage applied across all school grades for music, competence beliefs for English in upper primary and lower secondary school grades, and for maths in lower secondary grades. Although females reported music as more important and useful than males, their competence beliefs and task difficulty ratings were equivalent. Music was considered slightly less interesting for females than for males. The value of music as a subject declined significantly for upper SES students from upper primary to lower secondary schools. The greatest number of participants (40.8%) who expressed a desire to learn a musical instrument came from the lower SES category in upper primary school. This is an important result in the Australian context, indicating that this may be a positive time to recruit learners. This study provides new information regarding the relationship between motivation and desire to learn a musical instrument across school grades, gender, and socio-economic factors.

Influence of handwriting skills during spelling in primary and lower secondary grades.

We sought to identify, the impact of handwriting skills on the efficiency and temporal course of word spelling across Grades 2–9. Eighty-four students, drawn from primary and lower secondary schools, were asked to perform a dictation task to assess their word spelling. They also had to write out the letters of the alphabet, as well as their firstnames and surnames, from memory to assess their handwriting skills. Handwriting kinematics were recorded using a digitizing tablet and a computer running Eye and Pen software. Results revealed that graphomotor skills (as assessed by the name writing task) influenced the success and temporal course of spelling, but only in primary grades, whereas the influence of orthographic knowledge (as assessed by the alphabet task) could still be observed in the lower secondary grades, even if it ceased to influence the temporal course and only affected errors. We discuss what these findings tell us about changes in transcription processes over the course of child development.

Denmark: Lessons for American Principals and Teachers?

The Danish system has so many positive aspects that it would seem to merit adoption, Mr. Morrill notes. Moreover, that Danish students generally outscore American students in international math and science competitions seems to suggest that increased emphasis on testing is not what American schools need. THE U.S. and Denmark, long NATO allies, share many things, but attitudes and beliefs with regard to the proper role of government, the alleged efficacy of unregulated free markets, and what constitutes a civilized society vary considerably in the two countries. Whereas policy making in the U.S. has long been characterized by the conflict of competing individual rights and special interests, Danish policy making seems to exemplify a concern for the common good and decision making by consensus. In Denmark, making sure that no one is left behind is more than expedient political rhetoric. Deciding policy on the basis of its impact on the least advantaged members of the society is taken as a given, even by politicians in the Conservative Party. Vast differences in income and wealth -- so typical of the U.S. in recent decades -- are regarded by the Danes as a primary cause of social pathologies. Consequently, Danish social policy since the early 20th century has sought to foster social harmony by avoiding great gaps in income and wealth between social and occupational groups. This is not to say that there is no diversity in Denmark or that the individual freedoms and creativity of the Danes are being stifled. On the contrary, it would seem that a higher percentage of Danes are empowered to develop themselves as individuals because of the support they receive from society. The differences in attitudes and beliefs between the U.S. and Denmark are especially noticeable in the area of education. Because education has been a political hot potato in the U.S. for some time, it might be instructive to take a closer look at Danish attitudes toward such issues as testing, classroom management, and the role of the schools in socialization. I base my arguments here on a decade of firsthand observations of Danish child-rearing practices and schooling. From October 1990 to February 2000, I lived and worked in Denmark. During the latter years of that period, my son attended a community-run preschool day-care center, kindergarten, and grades 1 though 4 of a public school. The 'Class Teacher' System in Denmark The major difference between the American public schools and the Danish public schools at the primary and lower-secondary levels -- that is, grades 1 though 9 -- is that Danish children and their parents know that from first grade at age 7, the same 20 or so classmates, more or less evenly divided between boys and girls, will remain together for the next several years. Danish children will also have the same year after year. The typical Danish class will consist of a mix of children from various family backgrounds (working class, merchant class, professional class) and exhibiting a variety of interests (artistic, athletic, cultural, etc.). No attempt is made to group the children by ability within the individual classes. Rather, it is more likely that the class will be formed on the basis of residential patterns. Children who live and play together in the same neighborhood will be grouped in a class. Once composed, the class will stay together with the same as it progresses through the primary and lower-secondary grades. Typically, though not always, the is the teacher with whom the class has its Danish language and literature lessons. During the primary grades, the class will usually have a second and third teacher who divide up the responsibility for teaching math, science, social studies, music, and art. By the lower-secondary grades, a class may have as many as five or six teachers. One of the main responsibilities of the is to coordinate the activities of the class with the other teachers and to mediate whenever members of the class have academic or behavioral problems in lessons taught by the other teachers. …