Cooperative Learning to Reduce Math Anxiety and Promote

Abstract

This study scientifically examines the impact of applying cooperative learning strategies, based on models developed by Dr. Spencer Kagan (1994), on the development of mathematical communication skills among sixth-grade students in elementary schools within the Arab sector in Israel. These skills encompass five essential components: mathematical reading, mathematical writing, mathematical speaking, mathematical listening, and mathematical representation. The aim of the research was to determine whether the structured and consistent use of Kagan’s cooperative strategies, such as Numbered Heads Together and Quiz-Quiz-Trade, leads to deeper and more meaningful development of these skills compared to traditional instructional methods. The research followed a quantitative, comparative experimental design and included 60 sixth-grade students divided into two groups: an experimental group, which was taught using Kagan’s cooperative learning structures during lessons on the topic of percentages, and a control group, which learned the same material for an equal number of hours through conventional frontal teaching. Data collection tools included a mathematics achievement test and a mathematical communication questionnaire that assessed five communication dimensions. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 28, applying paired and independent t-tests, correlation analyses, and reliability testing (Cronbach’s α = 0.804–0.891). The findings demonstrated statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group across all five dimensions of mathematical communication. Students exposed to cooperative learning exhibited higher proficiency in written and oral expression of mathematical ideas, greater use of visual representations, active listening, and more effective peer collaboration. Significant correlations were also observed between mathematical achievement and several background variables: mathematical anxiety (negative correlation), mathematical memory (positive correlation), number of siblings (negative correlation), and socioeconomic status (positive correlation). The study concludes that Kagan’s cooperative learning strategies significantly enhance mathematical literacy, self-confidence, and explanatory ability core components of long-term mathematical success. It recommends integrating these scientifically grounded methods into mathematics curricula, especially in contexts characterized by learning gaps and limited mathematical discourse, and suggests further longitudinal studies to explore their broader educational effects.