Analysis of Numerical Understanding Analysis for Primary School

Abstract

This study aims to examine the level of understanding of Fourth Year student numeracy based on Critical Numeracy Model. The four levels in the Numeracy Understanding Model (NUM) applied in this study are decoding , meaning-making, application and analysis. The respondents of the study consisted of six students from standard four (4) selected based on the results of the monthly mathematical test from two persons of each level; brilliant, simple and weak. This study uses qualitative design by applying the interview method for collecting data. The interview series contains five assignments to determine the level of understanding of respondents' numeracy. The study finds that a student is at the application level that is able to solve all the learning activities that involve mathematical concepts and facts, selecting and defining procedures and providing the reason for each answer given. Three students are at the level of meaning-making. The students' ability at this stage is able to elaborate the basic facts, explain, define and formulate the operations used in learning activities. The rest are students who are at the level of decoding , at which point they can read, understand, express mathematical terminology, list terms, identify mathematical concepts, visualize and draw on key ideas and delegate them in the form of UNM model. In conclusion, UNM is able to identify the level of understanding of numeracy and to identify the mistakes of students. This study also implies the need to improve the method of numeracy understanding among students in primary schools through UNM.