Abstract:
The study employed a survey to explore 210 high school students’ attitudes
towards the study of mathematics and their perceptions on their teachers’ teaching practices.
The sample was made up of 102 males and 108 females who were randomly selected from four
high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis of the Central Region of Ghana. The data were
analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses. The findings showed
high perceived attitudes reported in the students’ interest in doing mathematics, usefulness of
mathematics, and confidence in doing mathematics; it was unclear whether students perceived
mathematics as a male dominated subject or not. With regards to teachers’ teaching practices,
all the 3 subscales: use of student- centered approach, classroom management skills and
communication skills studied, were reported to be important in influencing students learning
of mathematics. However, communication skills adopted by teachers in teaching the subject
was perceived as the strongest predictor of high school students’ attitudes followed by
teachers’ classroom management skills. The study concludes that to ensure positive attitudes
of students towards the study of mathematics, effective communication and classroom
management skills should be integral in mathematics teachers’ instructional practices; they
should be important goals of any mathematics teacher preparation programs.
