INFLUENCE OF FAMILY BACKGROUND ON THE LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS OF LOWER AND MIDDLE BASIC EDUCATION STUDENTS IN MAKURDI METROPOLIS, BENUE STATE

ABSTRACT The study investigated the influence of family background on the learning of mathematics of lower and middle basic education students in Makurdi Metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria. Four (4) research questions were used as a guide to the study. The sample size of 120 was considered through random sampling techniques. A structured questionnaire was used as a research instrument for data collection from respondents. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used to analysed the research questions while t-test was used to test the hypotheses. From the findings, students who have access to private tutoring perform better in mathematics than those who don't, economic challenges at home make it difficult for me to concentrate on mathematics lessons, my parents' level of education influences my attitude towards learning mathematics, and student's access to technology, such as a computer or tablet, enhances their ability to learn mathematics are the socioeconomic characteristics influencing students from lower and middle basic education towards teaching and learning mathematics. The findings on specific ways parent involvement influences lower and middle basic students attitudes towards teaching and learning mathematics were; I feel more motivated in mathematics when my parents take an interest in my studies, my parents’ involvement in my mathematics learning makes me more confident in the subject, I perform better in mathematics when my parents encourage me to study, when my parents help me with mathematics assignments, I find the subject easier to understand, and my parents reward or praise me when I do well in mathematics. The result on parents occupation influences on teaching and learning of mathematics by lower and middle basic education student were; parents who work in jobs requiring mathematical skills are more likely to assist their children with mathematics, parents with flexible work schedules are more involved in their children's mathematics learning, parents who are frequently busy with work do not have time to help their children with mathematics, and parents with stable jobs are able to afford extra mathematics tutoring for their children. The findings showed that family background influences how teachers approach mathematics instruction in the classroom, family background influences the types of learning activities teachers use in mathematics lessons, teachers’ perceptions of students' family background affect how they assess student performance in mathematics, and teachers spend extra time with students from less supportive family backgrounds to help them succeed in mathematics were how the family background influences teachers methods of teaching mathematics in lower and middle basic education students. In conclusion students whose family provides learning material like computers, tablet, calculators enhance the ability of lower and middle basic education students to learn mathematics. It is recommendations that, students should be provided with learning materials such as text book, writing materials, calculators at home to enhance learning of mathematics under parental guide.