Abstract:
The renewal in teaching strategy of mathematics started in 1982 with sub A pupils in a few project schools in the Western Cape. This renewal was extended systematically to other schools and at present (1994) it is applied up to standard three level in many schools in the Cape Province. It is expected that a greater number of schools in South Africa will apply this renewal of teaching strategy. The basic purpose of this study is to develop an instrument for evaluating the long term effect of this renewal with respect to the teaching of mathematics in schools on standard five pupils. The test can be used to determine to which degree the renewal, with respect to the strategy of teaching, has effected the capabilities of the pupils in mathematics and their insight. The pilot test consists of 130 questions and these tests were given to approximately 500 pupils in standard four, five and six. The answers to the questions of the pilot test were maxked and evaluated. Applicable criteria were used to compile the final test. The final test is available in both Afrikaans and English and the test consists of 40 questions. The questions of the final test deals with the following four sections in mathematics, namely: properties of operations, arithmetic, variables and functions, and ratio and proportion.
