EXPLORING THE CHALLENGES FACED BY MATHEMATICS TEACHERS DURING THE TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY TO UPPER-PRIMARY LEVELS: A STUDY OF TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS

This study investigates the challenges faced by mathematics teachers during the critical transition from primary to upper-primary education in India, focusing on students’ prior knowledge, teaching strategies, and learning preferences. Employing a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 20 in-service TGT mathematics teachers across ten schools in Delhi/NCR using a structured questionnaire. The findings of the study reveal that teachers encounter moderate to high levels of difficulty in leveraging students’ prior mathematical knowledge, particularly in assessing individual understanding due to diverse learning backgrounds. A major challenge lies in facilitating students' shift from concrete to abstract thinking, compounded by time constraints and curriculum demands. Teaching strategies such as lecture-based methods, constructivist approaches, and engaging activities are used but often with limited success due to resource limitations and classroom management issues. Teachers also report moderate difficulty in accommodating varied learning preferences and designing engaging, differentiated lessons. Notably, connecting mathematical concepts to real-life situations was perceived as less challenging, offering a potential strength for instructional improvement. The study highlights considerable variability in teacher experiences, suggesting that context significantly influences the challenges encountered. The study suggests that teachers should receive specific training on diagnostic assessment, abstraction scaffolding, differentiation, and new teaching methods like flipped and blended learning. The study also advocates for curriculum refinement, time management, improved resource access, and collaborative support systems. Addressing these multifaceted challenges is crucial to strengthening foundational mathematics learning and sustaining student engagement during this pivotal educational transition. This research contributes to filling a significant gap in Indian mathematics education literature.