In Slovenia, the percentage of Roma students with incomplete primary education varies between 65 % and 70 %, depending on the source. Among the significant reasons for their academic underachievement are irregular attendance and a lack of knowledge of the Slovenian language. The latter also has a significant impact on their performance in mathematics, especially in reading and understanding instructions and solving mathematical word problems. Additionally, poor academic performance of Roma students is influenced by an unsupportive home environment and the family's weak social status. Studies have shown that a weak family social status is often associated with slower development of early mathematical abilities, including a sense of numbers and quantities. This sense forms the foundation for the development of numerical concepts, which are essential for acquiring mathematical skills. Several authors believe that the sense of numbers and quantities should develop through experiences gained by students during their preschool years. Many Roma students may, therefore, be deprived of the experiences, skills, and knowledge that their peers acquire before entering school due to their lack of participation in the preschool education system. Roma students entering school require structured mathematics instruction aimed at developing their sense of numbers and quantities, as this development is linked to later success in mathematics and other areas. In the master's thesis, we examined the most suitable approach for working with Roma students to foster the development of their understanding of numbers and quantities at the beginning of their schooling. The study included a highly diverse sample of three Roma students from the first triad based on their mathematical abilities (a first-grade female student and two third-grade students, male and female). Based on observations, measurement results of tests assessing the sense of numbers and quantities (Jagodic, 2019; Jašarević, 2016), and other informal assessments, we formulated an intervention. During its implementation, we assessed the effectiveness of strategies, approaches, and adjustments to the learning environment, as well as the process and impact of collaboration with class teachers on the progress of selected students, both in terms of the development of the sense of numbers and quantities and in other areas. We documented all of these as best-practice examples in a handbook for educational professionals. Direct instruction proved to be a highly effective teaching approach, within which we utilized numerous concrete and visual aids, as well as the CPA approach (Concrete, Pictorial, and Abstract).The best adaptations to the physical learning environment proved to be outdoor teaching sessions and a well-marked space for learning materials. We adapted the social learning environment by forming heterogeneous groups of students, and we also collaborated with teachers on lesson planning. Although collaboration with class teachers did not yield measurable changes in student progress, it was nonetheless instrumental in establishing a strong foundation for the successful integration of Roma students into the school environment, adjusting the learning environment to their needs, and improving academic performance. In the curriculum-based learning environment, we adjusted the scope and complexity of learning objectives and teaching methods (group work, pair work, and individual work). For adaptations in the didactic environment, we modified teaching materials and task texts, and we also utilized didactic and personalised social games.
Through a comparison of the initial and final test results, we evaluated the progress in the development of the sense of numbers and quantities among Roma students. In the case of the first-grade female student, we observed significant advancement in the development of the sense of numbers and quantities. Additionally, among the other students under consideration, both we and the class teachers noticed improvements in other areas as well, such as attention and concentration, language skills, reading comprehension, and social skills. The diverse sample of Roma students provided insights into how we should commence their education upon entry to school, facilitating their equitable inclusion and academic success in subsequent years of schooling. The master's thesis demonstrates the importance of choosing an individualised approach, making appropriate adjustments to the learning environment, and employing general teaching strategies outlined in the handbook for teaching Roma students.
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