Alicia Humphrey

In students with dyscalculia, how do ethnomathematics framework activities compared to

common core framework activities affect students' understanding of the curriculum?

California State University, Sacramento

EDPS 282 – Methods in Research Design and Practice

with Diverse Children, Youth, and Families

Fall 2023
Part 1: Naming the Problem

Scenario

I work in a classroom that has students that have mathematics learning deficits and IEPs

(Individualized Education Plans). Each student has a different mathematics goal and needs

individualized help. Some of the students have a problem with short- or long-term memory. For

students to understand the material, they need to use it and see it multiple times and ways.

The Topic

I am interested in ethnomathematics framework and the effects on students that have

learning difficulties. Ethnomathematics Curriculum through Realistic Mathematics Education

Approach will be helpful for students with learning challenges to understand math because this

approach allows students the opportunity to grasp math using everyday situations. Using the

Ethnomathematics Curriculum in classrooms may be related to the difference in how math is

taught. According to the Prodigy website (2022), students could get to the right answer, but

never fully grasped the ideas behind the arithmetic. And because of this, they struggled to apply

math concepts to real-world problems. An example of this is, I have worked with students

struggling in math classes that have learning disabilities and multiple challenges. These students

can be diagnosed as having dyscalculia (math learning disability), but most students are not.

Dyscalculia is a math learning disability that can show up with loss of direction, left or

right, tough time identifying numbers or get them backward, or significant decrease in the ability

of doing problem-solving such as addition or subtraction (Jacobson, 2023, pp. 1-2). Many

teachers and parents may notice dyscalculia in students and not know the signs. When students

are not identified as having a “math learning disability” or dyscalculia, then students are not able
to get the interventions that they need to do mathematics and other activities. Due to the lack of

identification and interventions, teachers are having a harder time helping students.

According to Zepp et al, (1993) “mathematics was viewed as a ‘universal language’ and

was thought to be ‘culture free’. That is, mathematics was considered the same the world over”

(p. 3). I found a curriculum that could help that encompasses culture .... Ethnomathematics.

Ethnomathematics is a framework that is a “study of mathematical concepts embedded in

cultural practices and recognizes that all cultures and all people develop unique methods and

sophisticated explications to understand and to transform their own realities” (Rosa et al., 2016,

p. 1). Culture is within each person's environment. For example, culture is at school, work, or

home. So, students will learn how to use math in their own environment (school, work, or

home). I chose to find out if the best way for students with mathematics learning disabilities

(Dyscalculia) is to learn mathematics by using Ethnomathematics which includes doing

instructional activities within the classroom. I will choose at least two students to observe and

test how they are doing before and after being given extra instructional activities to tell if there is

a difference. In this synthesis of the literature, I give the beginning of the dialogue among

disciplines, mathematics in the schools, and teaching math to students with Dyscalculia.

Justification of the Importance of the problem

The topic of teaching math to students with learning challenges may be of particular

importance to teachers who might work with students with learning challenges because the way

that we teach students math will help them understand it. Masingila (1993) formed some

suggestions for the following areas of mathematics education: “(a) the school mathematics

curriculum, (b) the methods used to teach school mathematics, and (c) research in mathematics

education” (18-19).
 In my classroom, I use the Common Core Mathematics curriculum. I noticed that not all

the students may not grasp the concepts that are presented. Some concepts may only be touched

on by doing homework but not during the lesson. Thus, I must find supplemental material for the

students to practice in the concepts presented. I have found another curriculum

Ethnomathematics Framework that may benefit the high school students whom I work with that

have learning difficulties. Thus, this research will open the gap for other researchers in

Ethnomathematics and Dyscalculia in high schools.

Inquiry question

There has been a big gap in research such as the setting in which the research has been

conducted in. Most research on dyscalculia and ethnomathematics has been conducted in

elementary schools. According to Lewis et al. (2022) “prior research on dyscalculia has focused

almost exclusively on elementary-aged students’ deficits in speed and accuracy in arithmetic

calculation” (p. 1). All schools need research done consisting of different frameworks,

ethnomathematics, to ensure validity and the study's reliability. For example, research needs to

be done at junior high and high schools to help more students in math. Currently, students are

taught mathematics in an elementary school, and this is also where many initial IEPs

(Independent Education Plan) are done. The testing to diagnose a student with a disability is

done at the elementary school level and this is also when dyscalculia is most likely to be found.

There needs to be more research on how Ethnomathematics works in high school and middle

school classrooms. What about teachers?

 All teachers have their own style of teaching and have a challenging time reteaching the

material to students that do not understand the material and the time. Teachers may also make

lesson plans to fit a mold, so it is hard to modify as well. Each classroom atmosphere is different,

and teachers need help to modify curriculum for those students in need as well. What about the

identification or interventions for students that need help? Teachers can suggest using a math

learning disability (Dyscalculia) screener. One of the few screeners that teachers have access to

is I-ready. There are other screeners that people can use that are available free online. These

screeners are useful for parents to give them a heads up of what could potentially be happening

with their student. Teachers can look at the I-ready test results and give parents a copy. The hard

part is how focused the students were when they took the test. What about the resources available

to parents and students?

I realized there were few resources in the United States due to Ethnomathematics and

Dyscalculia as they are both so new and have not been explored much in the states. I wonder if

there will be more exploration of Ethnomathematics education in the states? Even on students

with Dyscalculia? I also wonder that if the research was done, then what type of screener would

the researcher use to find out which students to study or help? I believe the United States would

benefit from research here on students that have Dyscalculia and the effects of

Ethnomathematics. I wonder if there will be research done in the middle school and high school

levels as well. I understand there are few initial IEPs done at those school levels, however there

are a few students that fall through the cracks now and then. Oh, the many questions that I have

include: does the way math teachers perceive students' affect how students learn math or how

teachers teach math? The way teachers perceive students with disabilities also impacts
classrooms and teaching. Do teachers want to teach or work with other teachers about students

with disabilities? Hmm the many questions...

The many more questions that I would like to answer are:

Can Ethnomathematics help students with Dyscalculia understand math?

What curriculum would be best to instruct students with Dyscalculia: Ethnomathematics

or Common Core?

How is Dyscalculia identified in students?

How would teachers use interventions to help students with Dyscalculia?

Audiences who will benefit from studying the problem

The topic of teaching math to students with learning challenges will be of interest to

teachers, parents, administrators, and the community. Math teachers and parents help students

learn mathematics so they can understand math concepts used in the world. Administrators will

be more open-minded to different ways of teaching mathematics in the classroom. Lastly the

community will benefit from students knowing how to use math in everyday life too. For

example, students will know how to add, subtract, make change in stores, and understand bank

statements.

Positionality

I position myself as a spiritual and open-minded researcher. I have previous experience in

teaching mathematics to college students and high school students within California. Many of the

students that I served have multiple learning deficits. I also have previous research experience in

making models for students with learning challenges to help them understand mathematical

concepts in everyday life. My research may be biased due to my previous experience with the

Ethnomathematics Framework.
Part 2: Synthesis of the Literature

Introduction Paragraph

For teachers, it is hard to reach all the students and make sure they can access all the

subjects given to them. One subject, math, can be the hardest. Few students, but some students

are diagnosed with Dyscalculia, a form of a mathematics learning disability that can show up in

many forms and make it hard for teachers to teach math in the traditional sense. Dyscalculia is

put under the same umbrella “learning disabilities” such as dyslexia. The only difference is that

“dyslexia is a learning disorder characterized by a diminished ability to comprehend written and

printed words or phrases despite intact vision” (Chinnaraj & Kavitha, 2021, p. 2).

I found a curriculum that could help students understand math and encompasses

culture .... Ethnomathematics. Ethnomathematics is a framework that is a “study of mathematical

concepts embedded in cultural practices and recognizes that all cultures and all people develop

unique methods and sophisticated explications to understand and to transform their own

realities” (Rosa et al., 2016, p. 1). Culture is within each person's environment. For example,

culture is at school, work, or home. So, students will learn how to use math in their own

environment (school, work, or home). I chose to find out if the best way for students with

mathematics learning disabilities (Dyscalculia) is to learn mathematics by using

Ethnomathematics which includes doing instructional activities within the classroom. I will

choose at least two students to observe and test how they are doing before and after being given

extra instructional activities to tell if there is a difference. In this synthesis of the literature, I give

the beginning of the dialogue among disciplines, mathematics in the schools, and teaching math

to students with Dyscalculia.

Themes
A Dialogue Among Disciplines

Teaching mathematics to all students can be hard especially if a student has a learning

disability or the classroom is diverse. Each math teacher must look at the curriculum each year to

accommodate all students. How does a teacher instruct a student with dyscalculia? “Diversity is

a critical issue in education and learners suffer the consequences if teachers do not recognize the

importance of diversity” (Meeran & Van Wyk, 2022, p. 1). The researchers, Meeran and Van

Wyk (2022) look at the question: Should mathematics teachers have specific training to help a

socio-cultural diverse classroom (p. 2). Should teachers have mathematical training? In schools

today, teachers are put in classrooms, not trained in specific subjects they teach. Meeran and Van

Wyk (2022) states that “...scholars of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) argue that teachers

are compelled to design and implement practices to support the cultural reference of learners

which is unique of how they view the world and brings this frame of references into the

mathematics classroom “(p. 73). This dialogue begins as the teachers are given a new curriculum

and ways of teaching to help them continue instructing all students. Yes, there is outside support

to help teachers, however that does not always mean that there is support within the classroom

while teachers are teaching. Math is a hard subject to teach without having to learn cultural

references and discipline. The findings suggest that math teachers are ill equipped to teach a

socio-diverse classroom and may need extra training to understand culture. Further research will

be continued using the ethnomathematics model of teaching and the possible training needed to

teach. This begs the question: Does math only belong in math class or not?

All classes have been taught by themselves with no crossover into other subjects. Now

the question is should they be taught with subjects crossing over? “The scientific study is a

crossroads for dialogue and possible conflicts in many disciplines” (De Corte, 2018, p. 16). De
Corte (2018) illustrates how a topic may be taught across disciplines and what that would look

like (p. 269). One of the downfalls is that there may be conflicts in how best to teach a subject.

He shows how math can be in many disciplines and needs the contribution of many disciplines.

Thus, each teacher needs to have a dialogue about the best way to teach across disciplines. Why

not try Ethnomathematics, a way to instruct students across disciplines?

Ethnomathematics is a compilation of anthropology, mathematics, and education.

Marshall explains how education is not culturally based and does not fit every student. For

teachers to teach mathematics within someone’s culture, it is necessary for them to understand

the students and where they come from. Marshall (2023) refers to math or ethnomathematics as a

culturally sustaining pedagogy which encompasses student's cultures at home and school (p. 3).

So, what does Ethnomathematics look like?

Mathematics in the Schools

Students with learning disabilities in a classroom, especially math, can be challenging on

any teacher. Cole (2023) shows that 80% of students placed in an inclusive classroom did better

than students that were in a non-inclusive classroom (p. 1). She looked at the effects of inclusion

and academic performance resulting in what type of diploma that students were getting. She

looks at the diverse ways that students are put in high-inclusive classrooms and low-inclusive

classrooms. “Each classroom gets a certain amount of help and intervention” (Cole, 2023, p. 16).

Depending on how much inclusion and help students need depends on what type of diploma they

are getting. Inclusion consists of many perceptions such as student needs and what the district

can offer. What type of interventions were used in the classroom?

Students may need interventions of some sort to understand mathematical concepts.

Students or parents may not have a conversation about “quality math” or inclusion with
interventions. Wilson and Hunt (1994) do a study with three students with learning disabilities

put in general education math classes The findings are that students do better in math when given

the opportunity to explain their reasoning in mathematics, especially if they have a learning

disability. How do students learn better or more? What about finding out how students think?

Each of these students do well with explaining how they think, and how their brain works out

math problems, it just took a bit longer for teachers to find out what worked for them. I wonder if

there are any other students that fall through the cracks due to not having enough time to talk out

their problems.

A study was made on how a student thinks and relates to Algebra. Algebra class is one of

the core classes needed to graduate high school and an entrance into college. According to Lewis

et al. (2022) “6% of students with dyscalculia (i.e., mathematical learning disabilities), an

inability to pass algebra may significantly limit academic and career opportunities (p. 1)”. Some

students may have a tough time understanding the concept of x= some number. For example, a

simple one step algebra problem may be 2+x=3, the answer is x=1. However, in a person that has

dyscalculia the variable x may always be 1 regardless of any other answer. In this study Lewis et

al. (2022) talks about a woman, Melissa, who has dyscalculia., who states that “she understands

x as an unknown variable (p. 9).” When Melissa was solving a simple algebraic problem, she

explained, “The rule of x is 1, that is the most common unknown, in other words, for x to be 1”,

(Lewis et al., 2022) even after she solved the problem and got another answer. She needed extra

interventions such as a graphic organizer and more examples to understand the steps of solving

one and two step algebraic equations.

A suggestion was made by Perdana and Isrokatun (2019) to do research in problem-based

math. Problem based math consists of using Ethnomathematics in the classroom (p. 1).
Mathematics is known to be everywhere... in the classroom and in the world. Perdana and

Isrokatun (2019) did research on 83 students, half of the students were in a control group, the

other half of the students were given problem-based math (p. 3). The students with problem-

based math did a lot better in their math class. Thus, it is better to give students problem-based

math (ethnomathematics) than not. This also helps the students to know how to do math in the

real world.

What about math in a library, that is part of a student's real world? Many schools have

libraries that use mathematics. The librarians must know how to work with all students when

teachers leave. Librarians must know mathematics to help students find books. Students with

Dyscalculia may need more help than others to find their books due to the possibility of the

numbers being looked at backwards or differently than they really are. The issue comes when all

students can come into the library, and no one lets the librarian know who has a “learning

disability.” “Learning disabilities is a generic term that refers to different groups of difficulties

manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading,

writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities” (Gusfitri et al., 2022).

I am going to focus on math in the library. In the library, mathematics shows up with the

Dewey Decimal System. The Dewey Decimal System is used to put books back on the library

shelves and help librarians and others find books. Students learn decimals in fourth grade and

learn how to use the library around the same time. Taking students to the library and showing

them how to find books is an effective way to help students to understand a piece of their culture,

Ethnomathematics.

Teaching Math to Students with Dyscalculia

 Teaching math can be difficult enough for teachers. Some of the difficulties are learning

implementation plans, SAS (student worksheets), and the SAS given by the teacher only gives a

summary of the concept, so students have a tough time understanding the material (Gusfitri et al.,

2022). The teaching style and issues posed can be part of multiple frameworks used in

mathematics curriculum. For example, a teacher is given a book that they are supposed to use for

teaching math. Then the teacher notices that the curriculum does not cover all the steps in

problems, so they try to add worksheets to help with understanding. Sometimes the students can

grasp the material and sometimes not. This way of teaching does not always help everyone,

especially the students that have mathematics disabilities. Now it is time to try and teach math to

students with Dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is a math learning disability that has different degrees.

For example, some of the characteristics are having a challenging time with organizing, getting

numbers backwards, getting rights and lefts backwards, and doing word problems backwards.

Since students with a Mathematics Learning Disability (MLD) state numbers backwards, “the

number 12 would be 21 to them, it would be difficult to teach the concept of number” (Widodo

et al., 2019 p. 12117). Due to the testing and research, the researchers were able to produce a

model in power point that would help students with Dyscalculia understand the concept of

number. What else may help students with Dyscalculia?

It is always great to find diverse ways to reach students with Dyscalculia. One of these

ways is by the Mutiple Intelligence Theorem (MIT). “According to MIT, an individual has one or

more patterns of the following intelligences Verbal Linguistic Intelligence, Logical Mathematical

Intelligence, spatial intelligence, kinesthetic intelligence., Musical Intelligence, Interpersonal

Intelligence, Social Intelligence. Natural intelligence, Existence intelligence, and. Spiritual

Intelligence (Al-Zoubi & Al-Adawi, 2019, pp. 2-3). MIT instructional activities were used to
help students (14 boys and girls). with Dyscalculia that used a resource room to study. The

researcher found through observations and testing that the experimental group improved

significantly with the instructional activities.

Summary

In this synthesis of literature, one of best ways for students with mathematics learning

disabilities (Dyscalculia) is to learn mathematics by using an Ethnomathematics framework.

Ethnomathematics framework uses instructional activities within the classroom. The classroom is

an environment that students are in within the day. Mathematics in the classroom can look like

using everyday items such as pencils and rulers and making mathematical problems and finding

the history of the items that are used. After a review of my themes: at the beginning of the

dialogue among disciplines, mathematics in the schools, and teaching math with students with

Dyscalculia, I noticed that there were a lot of qualitative sources that utilized student

observations and previous publications. I realized that each student may see algebraic equations

differently and solve problems differently especially if they have dyscalculia. There is a

possibility that students can access algebraic information by tapping into how each person learns

and their perceptions of math.

The gap that I noticed within the literature I reviewed are

1) the setting in which the research is done,

2) how math teachers perceive a math class, and

3) how teachers teach math to everyone.

4)Diagnoses of having a math leaning disability or Dyscalculia

The setting in which the research is done on Ethnomathematics and Dyscalculia is in an

elementary school. According to Lewis et al. (2022) “prior research on dyscalculia has focused
almost exclusively on elementary-aged students’ deficits in speed and accuracy in arithmetic

calculation” (p. 1). All schools need research done consisting of different frameworks,

ethnomathematics, to ensure validity and the study's reliability. For example, research needs to

be done at junior high and high schools to help more students in math. Currently, students are

taught mathematics in an elementary school, and this is also where many initial IEPs

(Independent Education Plan) are done. The testing to diagnose a student with a disability is

done at the elementary school level and this is also when dyscalculia is most likely to be found.

There needs to be more research on how Ethnomathematics works in high school and middle

school classrooms. What about teachers?

All teachers have their own style of teaching and have a challenging time reteaching the

material to students that do not understand the material and the time. Teachers may also make

lesson plans to fit a mold, so it is hard to modify as well. Each classroom atmosphere is different,

and teachers need help to modify curriculum for those students in need as well. What about the

identification or interventions for students that need help? Teachers can suggest using a math

learning disability (Dyscalculia) screener. One of the few screeners that teachers have access to

is I-ready. There are other screeners that people can use that are available free online. These

screeners are useful for parents to give them a heads up of what could potentially be happening

with their student. Teachers can look at the I-ready test results and give parents a copy. The hard

part is how focused the students were when they took the test. What about the resources available

to parents and students?

I realized there were few resources in the United States due to Ethnomathematics and

Dyscalculia as they are both so new and have not been explored much in the states. I wonder if

there will be more exploration of Ethnomathematics education in the states? Even on students
with Dyscalculia? I also wonder that if the research was done, then what type of screener would

the researcher use to find out which students to study or help? I believe the United States would

benefit from research here on students that have Dyscalculia and the effects of

Ethnomathematics. I wonder if there will be research done in the middle school and high school

levels as well. I understand there are few initial IEPs done at those school levels, however there

are a few students that fall through the cracks now and then. Oh, the many questions that I have

include: does the way math teachers perceive students' affect how students learn math or how

teachers teach math? The way teachers perceive students with disabilities also impacts

classrooms and teaching. Do teachers want to teach or work with other teachers about students

with disabilities? Hmm the many questions...

Part 3: Potential Research Methods

Problem:

In Students with dyscalculia, how do ethnomathematics framework activities compared

to common core framework activities affect students’ understanding of the curriculum?

Methodology

The methodology I will be using is a mixed method and case study approaches. This will

include quantitative and qualitative methods. By using both methods, I get to see 1) how the

student tests in multiple environments, 2) if the student gains information through a series of

lessons using the Ethnomathematics curriculum.

I am using qualitative and quantitative methods in my research to answer the question of

in students with dyscalculia, how do ethnomathematics framework activities compared to

common core framework activities affect students’ understanding of the curriculum?

 Before I use the Ethnomathematics curriculum in a classroom, I will run the curriculum

by a few teachers to make sure the curriculum is grade level appropriate. I will also use

observations to find out how the student acts in a classroom. This will also give me qualitative

data that will be analyzed by NVivo. Then I will use the Woodcock Johnson math test as a pretest

(Figure 1) to find out what the students know before the lessons of Ethnomathematics.

Figure 1

Woodcock Johnson Test

Name _____________________ Date:_____________________

Solve the following problems

1.If 3y+12=5, 4x=8, and 3z+4z=2

A. y > x B. x = y C. y > z D. x > z

2.A man selling hot dogs, French fries, and a soda as a combo meal at a fairground must pay the

country 250 dollars each day plus 2 dollars per combo meal sold.The price of a combo is 7

dollars, How many combo meals must he sell each day to break even?

A. 25 B. 50 C. 35 D. 70

3.Simplify (41/3)3 × (61/6)6 × (31/2)4

A.
416 B. 116 C. 316 D. 216

4.A and B are independent events. If P(A)=58 and P(A and B)= 14, what is P(B)?
5.a. Choose the correct information about the graphs of the two lines below
5x - y - 2 = 0
y - 3x = 9
a. A. Intersect at (5.5, 25.5) B. Parallel C. Identical D. Perpendicular
b. What are the slopes of the graphs? b. _____________ and _____________
6.A rectangle has a perimeter of 18 inches. The long side is 1 inch more than three times the
small side. How big is the small side?
The small side is ____________
7.The seventh term of the sequence 16, 9, 2, -5, is A. -37 B. 37 C. 26 D. -26
8.Find the degree of 2x3 + -6x4 + 4x2 - 1
a. A. 3 B. 2 C. 4 D. 3 + 4 + 2
9.Find the greatest common factor of the terms of 16x6 + 8x4 + 2x12
A.
8x12 B. 2x4 C. x6 D. 4x6
10.What is the maximum or minimum value of y = x2 + 3x - 10 ?
The value is y = ____________
11.
Table 1
x 1 2 3 4
y 3 7 11 15
Table 2
x 1 1 2 4
y 3 7 11 15
a. Which relations are functions? Put a check mark next to the table that is a function
Table 1 ___________
Table 2 ___________
b. If a table is a function, model the table with a function.
12. Evaluate | y - x | + -y2 + 2z + x2y3z-2 for x = 3, y = 2, and z = -2
13.There are 6 red balls and 4 blue balls in a bag.
Find each probability
P(red and red ) with replacing
P(red and blue) with replacing
P(red and red) without replacing
P(red and blue) without replacing
14.Solve 3(2x - 1) = 4x + 5
15.Simplify (4x3 - 5x3 + x + 8 ) - (3x3 - 4x + 9 + 6x2 )
16.What is the standard form of the product (3x - 1) (5x + 3)
A. 15x2 + 2x + 3 B. 15x2 + 4x - 3 C. 15x2 + 4x + 3 D. 15x2 + 2x - 3
17.Triangle ABC is a right triangle with a right angle at A. Which of the following is false?
Sin(C)=ABBC cos (B)=ABBC
Sin (C)=ABAC cos (C)=ACBC
18.Find the median and mode of this set of data
5 , 1, 3, 5, 8 , 10, 8, 14
19.Find the equations that are parallel and perpendicular to x + 5y = 50 and passing through the
points (5, 10)
20.Simplify (1.5 × 108)(6 × 10-8)
21.Simplify each radical expression
a. 5√32 / -3√2
b.√8x8 / 2x2
22.Solve the inequality 2y - 4x < 6 for y. Then, give 2 points that are solutions
23.a. Factor x2 - 8x - 20
b. Solve x2 - 8x - 20
24.Solve 12x2 + 7x - 10
25.Solve the following proportion by setting up a proportion
The hours of operation of a park is 8:00 am - 10:00 pm Wednesday through Sunday. A Ferris
wheel can make a 360 degrees turn 5 times every 10 minutes. How many 360 degrees turn can
the Ferris wheel make in a week?
26.How can you find out how many solutions a quadratic equation has without solving the
quadratic equation?
27.The solution of the system ax - 4y = 8 and 6x + by = -30 is (-2, -3)
1. Find a and b
2. Replace a and b into the system. Then solve the system to verify that the solution is indeed (-2,
-3)
28.Find the value of 6P4
4 8 10 7
.29.Simplify 30x y z50x y z
30.What is the value of the f(x) = -8x - -2for x = -2
a. A. 0 B. undefined C. 2 D. -2
31.Solve the equation -2 + √y - 5 = 10
32.Write a function rule for the following table
x y
0 -4
6 -5
12 -6
24 -7

42.Graph y > -23 x + 1

43.The sides of a rectangle are -5x + 10 and x - 4
a. Write an expression for the perimeter.
b. Write an expression for the area.
c. For what value of x is the area the biggest?
44. Simplify 4x - 20x2 - 10x + 25
45. Find the horizontal and vertical asymptotes of the function below
f(x) = -10x - 3+ 5
46. Simplify x-6x^2-x÷x^2-4x-123x^2-3x
47. Graph the following system of inequalities?
2y > x + 4
3y + 3x > 13
48. Find the LCD of x5y and x2y4
49. A. How many ways can you choose 3 books from the 8 books on your shelf?
B. A 20-member club needs 2 members to lead. How many different pairs are possible?
50. John has a 15 feet ladder. When he leaned the ladder against a building, the ladder made an
angle of 60 degrees with the ground. What is the distance from the side of the building to the
base of the ladder.

Note: This is an example of the test that I will be using for the pre and posttest.

I will use a case study method during the Ethnomathematics lessons (Figure 2) to

document how a student learns and understands the curriculum. This will also help to document
how the lessons help the students learn and by using documentation as evidence of learning.

Students will be given Ethnomathematics lessons 45 minutes each day for four weeks.

Figure 2

Ethnomathematics curriculum example.

Note The Ethnomathematics teaching lesson was adapted from Barta, J., Eglash, R., & Barkley,
C. A. (Cathy A. (2014). Math is a verb : activities and lessons from cultures around the world /
Jim Barta, Ron Eglash, Cathy Barkley. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc.
 Lastly, I will use the Woodcock Johnson math test as a posttest to test the students to find

out what they learned within the four weeks. The question is: How much information will the

students retain? How much information will the students understand?

The qualitative and quantitative data collected and analyzed will be compared for

validity. The research study validity allows researchers and teachers to know if

Ethnomathematics Framework helps students with dyscalculia. The research will also be in a

high school, which is rare for the United States.

Participants and Setting

The setting will be in a classroom. I will not use the students' names or school district to

identify them in the study. I will use the grade, age, and disabilities that they have. I do not need

to use the parent’s information except for parental consent. I will make sure that the consent has

a clause that states that the students who choose to participate or not participate will not have

their grades affected.

Description of Intervention, Innovation, or phenomenon

The innovation that I will be using is an Ethnomathematics curriculum to help students in

mathematics. According to Johnson et al (2022) “Ethnomathematics is broadly defined as

the study of the relationship between culture and mathematics. It is used to describe the

ways in which mathematics is practiced among similar and dissimilar cultural groups.”

Thus, ethnomathematics uses the culture or environment that people are around and how

mathematics is used in that area. For example, a student may be working at a store and needing

to know how to make change. By teaching the student how to make change and use their

mathematical skills, the cultural or environmental aspect has been connected.

 Students will have the opportunity to experience mathematics in their

environment during the four weeks of instruction, 45-minute a day, of Ethnomathematics

Framework curriculum. Each student will have a pre- and post-test at the beginning and end of

the four weeks.

Data Collection

The data collected will be qualitative and quantitative. The observations made are

qualitative data which will be analyzed by NVivo. The pre and post-tests are quantitative data

collected and analyzed by SPSS. Then the data that is collected will be compared and contrasted.

The procedures I will use are observations, pre- and post-tests, four weeks of curriculum

and data analysis. The written parts are the pre- and post-tests and the four weeks of curriculum.

I will use a pre- and post-test to know if the Ethnomathematics instruction affected the student's

mathematical learning.

Data considerations

Ethics

I plan to get written permission from parents stating that participation is voluntary and

students' names will not be used. I will use the grade, age, and disability of the students. I will

also have a sentence that states that participation does not affect the grade of the student, since

the student is in my class.

Validity and Reliability

By using mixed method triangulation is to show that student performance is the same.

The observations will be used to obtain qualitative data analyzed by NVivo. The pre- and post-

tests used are quantitative data collected which will be analyzed by SPSS. Then the data

collected by NVivo and SPSS will be compared and contrasted to find out student performances
and if Ethnomathematics Framework helps students with dyscalculia. This will show validity and

reliability. Some of the quality indicators for reliability and validity are observation studies,

appropriate settings, and sufficient time is spent in the field (number and duration of

observations, study time span), and research has minimal impact on the setting except for action

research.

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