Examining the Influence of Language Comprehension on Students’ Academic Performance in Mathematics at G.S Jean de la Mennais de Kirambo and G.S Rushara in Burera District, Rwanda
Ildephonse Harerimana & Emmanuel Bizimana
University of Rwanda-College of Education, Rwanda
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9356-7226/ https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2287-0873
Email: hildephonse450@gmail.com/ biziemma93@gmail.com
Abstract: This study examined the influence of language comprehension on students’ academic performance in mathematics at G.S. Jean de la Mennais de Kirambo and G.S. Rushara in Burera District, Rwanda. The study was guided by three objectives: to assess students’ level of language comprehension in mathematics, to determine the relationship between language comprehension and mathematics performance, and to identify language-related challenges affecting mathematics learning. A quantitative correlational research design was employed. Data were collected from 125 students and 3 mathematics teachers using questionnaires and teacher responses. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while Pearson correlation and regression analysis were employed to establish the relationship and predictive contribution of language comprehension to mathematics performance. The findings indicated that a considerable number of students experienced difficulties understanding mathematical terminology, interpreting English instructions, and solving word problems. The results further revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between language comprehension and mathematics performance (r = .624, p < .001), suggesting that students with stronger comprehension skills tended to achieve better results in mathematics. Teachers also identified limited English proficiency, inadequate exposure to English outside the classroom, and difficulties interpreting mathematical questions as major challenges. The study concludes that language comprehension is an important factor in mathematics achievement and recommends integrating language-support strategies into mathematics instruction, strengthening academic vocabulary development, and providing teachers with professional development on teaching mathematics in multilingual classrooms.
