Mr. Innocent Nwume, a Mathematician and Information Communication Technology (ICT) expert, on Wednesday advised Mathematics teachers to use cartoons as a teaching aid to make the subject more interesting to their pupils and students.
Nwume told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that this could be introduced at the kindergarten and primary school levels.
He said that poor teaching method had hampered several students’ interests in Mathematics, and had led to high rates of failures, especially during external examinations.
The expert said that students’ interest in Mathematics was very low and that it was necessary for teachers to embrace modern teaching techniques.
Nwume suggested that the use of cartoons could arouse the interests of children and make them willing to learn Mathematics faster.
“We all know that our children like cartoons, so one can teach them simple Mathematics by bringing in Tom and Jerry or Mickey Mouse to solve some Mathematical problems.
“By so doing, children will hardly forget what they are being taught through that means and will increase their interest in Mathematics as they progress in their studies,’’ he said.
According to him, once there is disconnect in their understanding of the subject at the initial stage, it will be difficult for them to get it right later if not properly handled.
He urged teachers to make frantic efforts in helping their students to understand indices and factors, which had become common occurrence in Mathematics at every point in time.
Nwume said that if possible, teachers should dedicate more time to the teaching of `Mathematics’ factors’ at the junior level, before going to the senior level.
“The bedrock of Mathematics is factors,’’ he said.