English and Mathematics Misconceptions and Mistakes

English and Mathematics Misconceptions and Mistakes
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Misconceptions are common among students and can hinder their learning progress. They occur when students develop incorrect understandings or beliefs about specific concepts. Misconceptions are different from errors and mistakes. According to Merriam Webster online dictionary, a misconception is a flawed, wrong or inaccurate understanding or interpretation of a concept or idea (Merriam-Webster, 2023). A mistake is a wrong action that is made unintentionally or without awareness (Merriam-Webster, 2023). An error is a departure from correctness or accuracy intentionally or not (Merriam-Webster, 2023). In the context of learning, errors are made from lack of knowledge or understanding, mistakes are unintentional errors and misconceptions are flawed understanding or ideas. To address misconceptions effectively, teachers should employ specific teaching strategies informed by the root cause of the misconception. By identifying and addressing misconceptions, teachers can help students develop an accurate and robust understanding of the subject matter. This article will explore the differences between errors and misconceptions in English and Mathematics, the impact errors and misconceptions have on teaching and learning and highlight some effective strategies and approaches to addressing them. In English learning, misconceptions lead to misinterpretation of text, incorrect grammar usage and limited vocabulary which impacts student’s reading, writing, speaking and comprehension skills. In Maths learning, misconceptions impact numeracy, and logical reasoning and students develop a flawed approach to problem-solving. The students lack conceptual understanding and apply mathematical skills wrongly which leads to incorrect calculations and difficulty in identifying their key problem areas. Misconceptions occur in learners because of poor learning strategies that leave students with incomplete or inaccurate knowledge, poor understanding of concepts, limited exposure to relevant material and information and poor interpretations. Additionally, some students may also misconceive some concepts because of their preconceived notions, ideas or beliefs or a particular subject. Others develop misconceptions because they simplify or oversimplify complex concepts to fit into their existing knowledge structure. Learners’ errors are therefore a result of naïve concept images that do not measure up to the concept definitions characterised by expert concepts (Luneta & Makonye, 2010). First, it is important to identify the misconceptions. Instructors can administer tests or ask questions to gauge the understanding of the students.  (Sundar, 2022) recommends requesting students to come up with concept maps to test their understanding about the topic. Teachers can target their instructions effectively after diagnosing the problem. Secondly, teachers confront the misconceptions through activities, discussions and examples to highlight the contradictions. These classroom activities are designed to challenge and replace misconceptions with accurate understandings (Luneta & Makonye, 2010). Thirdly, the teache...