PS 4305 3.15 Question 6

In what ways traditional Bruneian games played an important role in the teaching & learning of primary mathematics?

1. Games have a contribution to children. Such games, used as part of balanced curriculum, can bring substantial benefits to children who play them, in terms both of the enjoyment and interest they arouse and of the actual learning that takes place as the game proceed.

2. Teachers and pupils will be able to get to know different types of traditional games that are available that has been played for generations and thus makes teaching and learning more fun and enjoyable and the same time the pupils will be exposed to the history of the games.

3. In the context of teaching and learning activities, traditional games can be used as enrichment activities as it can play an important role to train pupils to think logically and systematically, stimulate their interest to learn mathematics, strengthen mathematic concepts and skills. Hence this will improve and upgrade their thinking skills to a higher level.

4. Some games are particularly suitable as an introduction to a new topic, while others are ideal when revision of a topic is needed. It can also act as starting points for investigations or project work, and others again can usefully fill ten minutes at the end of a lesson or provide some variety in a lesson instead of formal written work.

5. Mathematical games develop mathematical communication as pupils explain and justify their moves to one another. Therefore it provides the opportunity for the pupils to communicate their ideas and justify their thinking.

6. Teacher plays an important role in encouraging pupils to explain their thinking and keeping them focused on mathematical ideas.

7. In general games can be played by pupils without specific mathematical knowledge as long as they are willing and able to ‘think mathematically’.

8. The traditional Bruneian games have its own unique ways of how it should be played (rules), so pupils have to be encouraged to observe many different things about objects and events they study, to consider a wide range of activities, not just the ones they first think will be important, to search systematically for patterns and relationships and not merely those that their existing ideas or past experiences lead them to expect. In other words pupils have to be helped to approach problems inductively as well as deductively.

06B0402, 06B0403, 06B0414, 06B0421, 06B0422

9. It plays an important role as it encourages a positive attitude that will greatly extend the scope of learning mathematics and consequently add to its value.

10. Through traditional Bruneian games will supplement and enrich the normal school mathematics programme and provide mathematical experience of importance.

11. Experience at using games in teaching will be very beneficial to pupils. However teacher should be clear about the objectives. Pupils will be expose to problem solving skills where they need to solve it analytically and hence this skills become finely tuned.

12. Looking at some of the questions which pupils should ask themselves when starting to play a game, and putting them under a mathematical heading gives a good idea to the higher order skills involved.

Form of question	Mathematical heading
How do I play this?	Interpretation
What is the best way of playing?	Optimisation
How can I make sure of winning?	Analysis
What happens if...?	Variation
What are the chances of...?	Probability
Form of statement	Mathematical idea
This game is the same as...	Isomorphism
You can win by...	A particular case
This works with all these games.	Generalisation
Look, I can show you it does...	Proving
I record the game like this...	Symbolisation and Notation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ : Mathematical Games as an Aid to Teaching Mathematics

Examples of traditional games : Congkak & Pasang

i. The game like congkak involves mathematical ideas in a way such as counting (division & addition), patterns and probability. Thus the game like this helps the pupils to build confidence with numbers.

ii. Problem solving and critical thinking skills are involve in playing the game. The pupils need to observe and think thoroughly, which appropriate holes containing beads to choose from for them to be able to obtain as many beads as possible to be put inside ‘main holes’ (ibu lubang), the holes containing beads they are choosing doesn’t necessarily contain the largest number of beads for them to win, therefore pupils need to search for certain patterns that will lead them to winning the game.

iii. Where as in pasang, the features of the games itself entails much about mathematical ideas such as the board use (grid board / square board), the four diagonal lines as well as the rules on how to play the games which involves making patterns.

Summary

Games can contribute in a variety of ways to help pupils to:

- learn the language and vocabulary of mathematics

- use mathematical notation

- know mathematical facts

- develop mathematical skills

- understand mathematical concepts

- devise problem-solving strategies

- develop ability with mental mathematics

- appreciate towards the Bruneian culture and hence cherish the disappearing cultural heritage

- improve social skills