Does Social Class Influence Learner Reasoning in Geometry?
The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of social class on learners’ reasoning in geometry in South Africa. The fieldwork for this study was conducted in two schools in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. The schools will be referred to as Green Park High and Bleak Stone High. Green Park High was a predominantly middle-class school whilst Bleak Stone High was a predominantly workingclass school. Data from 160 Grade 12 mathematics learners was collected through a questionnaire, and 24 of these learners completed a geometry evaluation worksheet. The 24 learners were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Themes and patterns were identified and linked to the conceptual framework of the study. The findings of the study demonstrate that while the learners from both workingclass and middle-class backgrounds employed similar techniques when solving geometry problems, their methods, logic and geometric reasoning differed considerably. It was also found that learners in this study conformed to the majority social class group with which they associated.
