Analysis of the Causes of Elementary School Students' Difficulties in Learning Mathematics: A Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22373/jppg.v4i1.10009Keywords:
Mathematics learning difficulties, elementary school students, qualitative analysisAbstract
This study aims to analyze the underlying causes of elementary school students’ difficulties in learning mathematics through a qualitative research approach. Mathematics is a foundational subject, yet many students experience persistent challenges that affect their academic performance and long-term numeracy development. Using a qualitative descriptive design, this research involved interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis of 28 students and 4 teachers from two public elementary schools. The data were coded and categorized into themes to capture patterns of difficulties and contributing factors. The findings reveal several dominant causes, including limited conceptual understanding, low mathematical confidence, ineffective instructional strategies, and inadequate learning support at home. Additional difficulties were linked to linguistic barriers, poor number sense, and anxiety triggered by traditional assessment practices. The study also identified environmental influences such as classroom overcrowding and inconsistent teacher feedback as significant contributors. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by students and highlight the importance of adopting student-centered instructional approaches, strengthening teacher pedagogical competence, and improving parental engagement. The implications emphasize the need for tailored interventions to address conceptual, psychological, and environmental factors that hinder mathematical learning at the elementary level.
References
Arikunto, S. (2002). Prosedur Penelitian. Bandung: Rineka Cipta.
Dasopang, M. D., Lubis, A. H., & Dasopang, H. R. (2022). How do Millennial Parents Internalize Islamic Values in Their Early Childhood in the Digital Era? AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 14(1), 697–708.
Dasopang, M. D., Nasution, I. F. A., & Lubis, A. H. (2023). The Role of Religious and Cultural Education as A Resolution of Radicalism Conflict in Sibolga Community. HTS Theological Studies, 79(1), 1–7.
Elisyah, Nur, Islami Fatwa, Dinda Adha Hutabarat, and Zaharatul Humaira. 2024. “Pelatihan Gamifikasi: Implementasi Permainan Edukatif Untuk Meningkatkan Kualitas Pembelajaran Di SD Swasta Srikandi Lhokseumawe.” PUSAKA: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat 1(2):29–37. doi:10.62945/pusaka.v1i2.164.
Erawadi, E., Hamka, H., & Juliana, F. (2017). The Analysis of Student’s Stressed Syllables Mastery at Sixth Semester of TBI in IAIN Padangsidimpuan. English Education: English Journal for Teaching and Learning, 5(1), 44–57.
Fatimah, A., & Maryani, K. (2018). Visual Literasi Media Pembelajaran Buku Cerita Anak. Jurnal Inovasi Teknologi Pendidikan, 5(1), 61–69. https://doi.org/10.21831/jitp.v5i1.16212
Gogahu, D. G. S., & Prasetyo, T. (2020). Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Berbasis E-Bookstory untuk Meningkatkan Literasi Membaca Siswa Sekolah Dasar. Jurnal Basicedu, 4(4), 1004–1015.
Hamka, H. (2023). The Role of Principals on Teacher Performance Improvement in a Suburban School. QALAMUNA: Jurnal Pendidikan, Sosial, Dan Agama, 15(1), 371–380.
Hamka, H., Suen, M.-W., Anganthi, N. R. N., Haq, A. H. B., & Prasetyo, B. (2023). The Effectiveness of Gratitude Intervention in Reducing Negative Emotions in Sexual Abuse Victims. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 8(2), 227–240.
Harahap, S. M., & Hamka, H. (2023). Investigating the Roles of Philosophy, Culture, Language and Islam in Angkola’s Local Wisdom of ‘Dalihan Na Tolu.’ HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 79(1), 8164.
Hendrawati, S., Rosidin, U., & Astiani, S. (2020). Perilaku hidup bersih dan sehat (PHBS) siswa/siswi di sekolah menengah pertama negeri (SMPN). Jurnal Perawat Indonesia, 4(1), 295–307. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32584/jpi.v4i1.454
Lubis, A. H., Dasopang, M. D., Ramadhini, F., & Dalimunthe, E. M. (2022). Augmented Reality Pictorial Storybook: How does It Influence on Elementary School Mathematics Anxiety? Premiere Educandum: Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Dan Pembelajaran, 12(1), 41–53.
Lubis, A. H., Yusup, F., Dasopang, M. D., & Januariyansah, S. (2021). Effectivity of Interactive Multimedia with Theocentric Approach to the Analytical Thinking Skills of Elementary School Students in Science Learning. Premiere Educandum: Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Dan Pembelajaran, 11(2), 215–226.
Manshur, U., & Ramdlani, M. (2019). Media audio visual dalam pembelajaran PAI. Al-Murabbi:Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 5(1), 1–8.
Mardhiyah, R. H., Aldriani, S. N. F., Chitta, F., & Zulfikar, M. R. (2021). Pentingnya Keterampilan Belajar di Abad 21 sebagai Tuntutan dalam Pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia. Lectura: Jurnal Pendidikan, 12(1), 29–40.
Ningsih, Y. S., Mulia, M., & Lubis, A. H. (2023). Development of Picture Storybooks with TheoAnthropoEco Centric Approach for Elementary School Students. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 15(2), 1888–1903.
Nurhidayah, I., Asifah, L., & Rosidin, U. (2021). Pengetahuan , Sikap dan Perilaku Hidup Bersih dan Sehat pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar. 13(1), 61–71. https://doi.org/10.32528/ijhs.v13i1.4864
Pebtiyanti, I., Ahmad, A., Dzaky, M., Fauziah, S. N., Rendi, & Puspitasari, P. (2023). Peran kurikulum merdeka dalam meningkatkan harmonisasi antara masyarakat dan sekolah. Jurnal Pacu Pendidikan Dasar, 3(1), 269–277. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.22021/pacu.v3i1.411
Putra, Meiyaldi Eka, Fajar Maulana, Ramanda Rizky, and Islami Fatwa. 2023. “Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Mahasiswa Menggunakan Model Perkuliahan Problem Based Instruction (PBI) Mata Kuliah Gambar Teknik.” Jurnal Pendidikan Teknik Mesin 10(1):22–30. doi:10.36706/jptm.v10i1.20850.
Rahmah, S., & Lubis, A. H. (2024). Problem Posing as a Learning Model to Improve Primary School Students’ Mathematics Learning Outcomes in Gayo Lues. Journal of Indonesian Primary School, 1(4), 93–104.
Rahman, A., Munandar, S. A., Fitriani, A., Karlina, Y., & Yumriani. (2022). Pengertian Pendidikan, Ilmu Pendidikan dan Unsur-Unsur Pendidikan. Al Urwatul Wutsqa: Kajian Pendidikan Islam, 2(1), 1–8.
Ranisa, R., Erawadi, E., & Hamka, H. (2018). Students’ Mastery in Identifying Adverbs at Grade VIII SMPN 2 Batang Toru Tapanuli Selatan. ENGLISH EDUCATION JOURNAL: English Journal for Teaching and Learning, 6(2), 241–252.
Ricardo, R., & Meilani, R. I. (2017). Impak Minat dan Motivasi Belajar terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa. Jurnal Pendidikan Manajemen Perkantoran (JPManper), 2(2), 188–201.
Santi, Undang, & Kasja. (2023). Peran Guru PAI dalam Membentuk Karakter Peserta Didik di Sekolah. Jurnal Pendidikan Tambusai, 7(2), 16078–16084. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31004/jptam.v7i2.8918
Sinaga, Nurul Afni, Fitri Ayu Ningtiyas, Rifaatul Mahmuzah, Yulia Zahara, and Islami Fatwa. 2023. “The Effect of Deductive-Inductive Learning Approach on Creative Thinking Ability and Learning Motivation.” Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation 6(2):123–34. doi:10.24114/paradikma.v16i2.46952.
Siraj, S., M. Yusuf, I. Fatwa, F. Rianda, and M. Mulyadi. 2023. “Pengembangan Model Pembelajaran Reflektif Berbasis Unity of Sciences Bagi Calon Guru Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan Profesional.” Jurnal Review Pendidikan Dan Pengajaran (JRPP) 6(4):2030–38.
Siregar, N., & Siregar, R. S. (2025). Analysis of numeracy literacy of junior high school students in AKM questions: Learning strategies based on higher order thinking skills at SMP Negeri 5 Tapung Hilir. Jurnal Profesi Guru Indonesia, 2(1), 359–367. https://doi.org/10.62945/jpgi.v2i1.720
Siregar, R. S. (2024). Fiqhu Al-Akbār: Taḥqī An-Naṣ Wa Taḥlīlu’Afkārihi. UIN Ar-Raniry Fakultas Adab dan Humaniora.
Siregar, R. S. (2024). Students’ Preferences for Varied Learning Methods: An Empirical Study of the Effectiveness and Appeal of Diverse Instructional Approaches. Jurnal Profesi Guru Indonesia, 1(2), 140–152. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.62945/jpgi.v1i2.679
Siregar, R. S. (2025). The Influence of Social Media as a Learning Resource on the Academic Behavior of Junior High School Adolescents. KOGNITIF: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Dan Keguruan, 2(1), 21–28.
Siregar, R. S. (2025a). Arabic Language Learning Culture in Salaf Islamic Boarding Schools: An Ethnographic Study of Linguistic Punishment Practices and Traditions. ETNOPEDAGOGI: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Kebudayaan, 2(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.62945/etnopedagogi.v2i2.722
Siregar, R. S. (2025b). Evaluation of the Implementation of the Reading Literacy Program at SD Negeri 100190 Tarutung Bolak. Journal of Indonesian Primary School, 2(1), 240–250. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.62945/jips.v2i1.723
Siregar, R. S. (2025c). Improving the Arabic Writing Skills of Students through the Application of Contextual Learning Methods at Dayah Irsyadul Abidin Qurani. Indonesian Journal of Education and Social Humanities, 2(1), 358–369. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.62945/ijesh.v2i1.726
Siregar, R. S. (2025d). Principles of Subject-Based Arabic Curriculum Development: Language Skills Integration and Contextual Relevance. DEEP LEARNING: Journal of Educational Research, 1(2), 56–67. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.62945/deeplearning.v1i2.229
Siregar, R. S. (2025e). Students’ Cognitive Difficulties in Mastering the Nahwu Rules: A Descriptive Study at SMP IT Al Farabi Bilingual Scool. Jurnal Cendekia Islam Indonesia, 1(2), 10–20. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.62945/jcii.v1i2.216
Sugiyono. (2018). Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif Kualitatif dan R&D. Bandung: Alfabeta.
