The Missouri Reader Vol. 37, Issue 1 | Page 13

reasons provided to corroborate the disagreement
with the questionnaire statement relating math
journals to helpfulness in learning pre-algebra
pertained to an increase in confusion about the topic.
One student mentioned that ―trying to write an
explanation for a problem [he didn’t] understand very well
just made it more confusing.‖
While slightly less than half (46% of the total
students/40% of the boys/50% of the girls)
responded favorably about the use of exit slips in prealgebra, indicating that they agreed to some extent
with the statement regarding exit slips providing an
opportunity to communicate their level of
understanding to the teacher, 12 out of the 13 who
did not respond favorably to some extent responded
neutrally. The one remaining student (boy) did not
provide an explanation for his response.

Difference in boys’ and girls’
perceptions.
Regarding the difference in perceptions between
genders, the only strategy for which there was a
notable difference (20% or more) in percentage
between boys‘ and girls‘ responses was math
autobiographies. While 36% more girls than boys
responded favorably to this strategy, none of the boys
who disagreed with the statement (five out of 10
boys) on the questionnaire about math
autobiographies serving as a means of conveying their
individual needs to the teacher provided reasons for
their responses.
According to the data analysis, three out of the
five writing strategies for which student perceptions
were assessed on the formative questionnaire were
considered effective in meeting the intended objective
by 50% or more of the participants in the study.
Perceived as helpful in learning pre-algebra by the
highest percentage of students was brainstorming
(96% of the total students). This strategy was
perceived by students as helpful in activating existing
knowledge of a topic or concept. ―Put[ing] students in
the right frame of mind for approaching math problems‖ and
helping students make connections between concepts,
word sorts were considered useful by 79% of the total
students. Fifty percent of the total students
considered math autobiographies effective in serving
as a means to convey specific needs and interests to
the teacher.
Math journals and exit slips were found to be the

least favored writing strategy used by the students,
with only 38% and 46% of the total students
responding favorably about the effectiveness of each
strategy in meeting its intended objective.
The only strategy for which a notable difference
between genders was evident was math
autobiographies, with 36% more girls than boys
perceiving them as helpful in meeting their intended
objective in learning pre-algebra.

Conclusion
While researchers emphasize the importance of
activating prior knowledge of a topic and connecting
this knowledge to new concepts (Dixon-Krauss,
1996; Vacca et al., 2010), many students also
perceive certain writing strategies as effective in
meeting this objective. An overwhelming majority of
students in this study (96% of the total students/90%
of the boys/100% of the girls) perceived
brainstorming to be helpful in learning pre-algebra,
with many students citing reasons pertaining to the
activation of prior knowledge. Similarly, many
students (79% of the total students/90% of the
boys/71% of the girls) considered word sorts to be
beneficial in the same regard.
To better facilitate classroom communication and
differentiate instruction, it is necessary for teachers to
assess student attitudes and former educational
experiences (Janzen, 2005). Such considerations are
critical factors in student motivation (Halawah,
2006). According to half of the study participants
(50% of the total students/50% of the boys/86% of
the girls), math autobiographies administered at the
beginning of the year allowed students to convey their
specific learning needs and preferences to their
teacher. Slightly less than half (46% of the total
students/40% of the boys/50% of the girls)
considered exit tickets to be beneficial for similar
reasons.
Although math journals have been regarded as an
effective strategy for helping students organize and
express their mathematics ideas and for providing
opportunities for them to use both the verbal and
written language of mathematics (Vacca et al., 2010),
only slightly more than a third of students in this study
(38% of the total students/30% of the boys/43% of
the girls) perceived math journals as useful in learning
pre-algebra. Those who responded favorably with
regard to the implementation of math journals felt
©The Missouri Reader, 37 (1) p.13