Matematik som resurs för övriga ämnen i grundskolan : Huruvida matematik kan medföra att elever når bättre generella studieresultat i grundskolan

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this research is to learn and understand how successful learning in mathematics affects students in their studies overall. The research also aims to define how mathematics can be useful as a motivator in other school related subjects. According to Stenhag (2010), it is possible to use the grade in mathematics as an indicator of students’ grades in general. The higher the grades are in mathematics, the higher they tend to be in other school subjects. The report also tries to explain what it is about mathematics that help students achieve higher results. Is it the character of mathematics in itself, or is it the fact that good results in mathematics give the students a higher motivation? The report consists of a thorough literature study on learning, what happens in our brain as we learn new things, what motivational factors there are and which part mathematics play in all of these. Furthermore, the study presents a text analysis of the core content in mathematics, to define whether there is something particular in common with other subjects. There is also a survey presented in the report, executed by students in year nine, that presents the students’ own thoughts and opinions on mathematics in general. Additionally, there are a couple of interviews with students’ in which they tell about their own experiences of how mathematics have helped them achieve better in other school subjects. The conclusion of the study is that students that do well in mathematics enhances their motivation to study other school related subjects.