An investigation of primary and JHS teachers’ attitudes toward mathematics in some selected schools in the Central Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study explored primary and junior high school (JHS) teachers‟ attitudes toward mathematics. A survey of attitudes toward mathematics of 114 primary and JHS teachers who were holders of three-year post secondary teachers‟ certificate “A” from 40 basic schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis and Elmina district in the Central region of Ghana was carried out using a questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using means and standard deviations. The t-test was used to investigate whether there was significant difference between primary school and JHS teachers‟ attitudes toward mathematics. The results from the study revealed amongst others that both primary and JHS teachers had favorable attitudes toward mathematics. The study also found no significant difference between the attitudes of the two sets of teachers toward mathematics. However, whilst the study found no significant difference between the attitudes of upper primary and JHS teachers toward mathematics, both upper primary and JHS teachers were found to have significantly more positive attitudes toward mathematics than the lower primary teachers. The study recommended the need to encourage lower primary school teachers to develop more positive attitudes toward mathematics.

Keywords: attitude toward mathematics, mathematics achievement