Mathematical literacy: mother-tongue intervention for measurement errors and misconceptions

Abstract

Introduction This empirical study explores teachers' perspectives on the pedagogical role of the mother tongue in mitigating errors in Measurement. Although the cognitive benefits of mother-tongue instruction are widely acknowledged, limited research has examined how teachers distinguish between surface-level linguistic decoding and the deeper process of conceptual sense-making. The study argues that learners' heritage languages should be understood not as temporary translation devices, but as continuous cognitive resources that mediate conceptualisation in Mathematical Literacy. Methods A qualitative interpretivist case study was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews and 12 classroom observations with 6 purposively selected teachers across diverse performance contexts, couched in Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory, which conceptualizes the mother tongue as a cultural tool for scaffolding learning within the Zone of Proximal Development. Data generated from semi-structured interviews and 12 classroom observations were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Results Based on teachers' accounts and classroom observations, the findings suggest that English as the language of learning and teaching may constrain conceptual access, with some teacher-reported learner difficulties in Measurement appearing to arise from misinterpretation of terminology rather than procedural weakness. Teachers reported that while direct translation has limitations, the strategic use of learners' home languages through culturally familiar analogies supported movement within the Zone of Proximal Development. Observations in Afrikaans-medium classrooms, where instruction and assessment were linguistically aligned, illustrated reduced cognitive load and greater focus on mathematical reasoning. Discussion The study concludes that heritage languages function as continuous cognitive resources for conceptualization rather than mere temporary translation aids. The findings emphasize the need for structured multilingual pedagogies and improved linguistic resources to enhance equitable conceptual access in the unique South African educational landscape.