Gender Gap in Mathematical Communication: A Case Study on Area Measurement Learning in Elementary School

Abstract

Mathematical communication plays a crucial role in helping students build concepts and establish connections between abstract ideas and mathematical symbols. This study aims to qualitatively analyze the mathematical communication skills of fourth grade elementary school students on the subject of area measurement, viewed from gender differences. This research employs a descriptive qualitative approach. The research subjects were selected using purposive sampling, consisting of 30 students (14 boys and 16 girls) at an elementary school in Bandung. Data were collected through a 5 item essay test, observation, and interviews, then analyzed using the Miles and Huberman model. The results showed that the students' mathematical communication skills were generally classified as low. Specifically, a significant difference was found based on gender: the average ability of male students was in the Low category (30.7%), while the average ability of female students was in the Medium category (51.3%). Qualitative analysis revealed that female students excelled in accuracy, written expression, and the use of notation, while both genders experienced difficulties in visual representation and reasoning. These findings imply that to bridge this gender gap, teachers must shift from procedural formula memorization to deep conceptual learning by providing gender responsive scaffolding specifically strengthening symbolic precision for male students and fostering spatial reasoning for female students.