%0 Journal Article
%T Beyond teaching language: Towards terminological primacy in learners¡¯ geometric conceptualisation
%A Humphrey U. Atebe
%A Marc Sch£¿fer
%J Pythagoras
%D 2011
%I AOSIS OpenJournals
%R 10.4102/pythagoras.v0i0.7
%X This paper reports on a specific aspect of a broader geometry conceptualisation study that sought to explore and explicate learners¡¯ knowledge of basic geometric terminology in selected Nigerian and South African high schools. It is framed by the notion that students¡¯ acquisition of the correct terminology in school geometry is important for their success in the subject. The original study further aimed to determine the relationship that might exist between a learner¡¯s ability in verbal geometry terminology tasks and his/her ability in visual geometry terminology tasks. A total of 144 learners (72 each from South Africa and Nigeria) were selected for the study, using both the stratified and the fish©\bowl sampling techniques. A questionnaire consisting of a sixty©\item multiple©\choice objective test provided the data for the study. An overall percentage mean score of 44,17% obtained in the test indicated that learners in this study had only a limited knowledge of basic geometric terminology. The Nigerian subsample in the study had a weaker understanding of basic geometric terminology than their South African counterparts. Importantly, there were high positive correlations between participants¡¯ ability in verbal geometry terminology tasks and their ability in visual geometry terminology tasks. These results are consistent with those of several earlier studies, and provide a reasonably firm basis for certain recommendations to be made.
%K Geometry
%K van Hiele levels
%U http://www.pythagoras.org.za/index.php/pythagoras/article/view/7