Die verband tussen die selfbeeld en wiskundeprestasie van Afrikaanssprekende st. 7–leerlinge

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine the connection between the self-concept and mathematical achievement of Afrikaans-speaking Std. 7 pupils. The part played by sex, IQ and personality with regard to the mathematical achievement was also examined. The target group consisted of 105 Std. 7 boys and 162 Std. 7 girls. The IQ and parsona1ity of pupils were determined with the use of standardised tests while existing questionnaires were used to measure their non-academic, academic and mathematical self-concepts. The results of the abovementioned tests were correlated with the average mathematical achievements of the respondents. The study could discover no significant connection between the nonacademic self-concept and mathematical achievement of the Std. 7 pupils. Significant corre~ations were, however, found between academic and mathematical self-concepts and mathematical scholastic achievements of these pupils. The mathematical self-concepts of both the boys and girls in the target group influence their mathematical achievement to a greater extent than their academic self-concepts do. The mathematical se1fconcepts of the Std. 7 girls have a greater influence on their mathematical achievement than is the case with the boys. Only single personality factors contributed significantly educationally to the prediction of mathematical achievement of Std. 7 boys and girls in the test group. In this research total IQ was identified as the variable that made the greatest contribution of all the best sub-set projections regarding the mathematical achievements of the Std. 7 boys and girls.