Abstract

This study investigated parental involvement and group work as support systems applicable in the learning and teaching of mathematics. The study determined an association between mathematics achievement and the availability of or lack of parental support. The research took part in Phuthaditjhaba, a predominantly black residential area, situated in the Free State Province of South Africa. The subjects were grade 7 learners and their parents. Learners frequently fail mathematics, and this challenged the researcher to investigate possible causes in order to suggest solutions which could be used to alleviate this problem. One hundred learners were drawn out of 4 schools among 20 schools in both urban and semi-urban settings. Parents' questionnaires were used to gather the information about learners. Responses to the questionnaire were associated with learners' mathematics scores. Parents were asked about their involvement with their children's mathematics learning. They completed a self-report questionnaire indicating how often they had engaged in each in each of six variables. The variables tested for association with performance are family structure, socio-economic status, intactness, parental education and parental occupation on one hand as well as the extent of support systems the parents offer their children in the form of home resources conducive for learning.