Mathematics learning diffuculties at the 8th grade of elementary

The main purpose of this research is to determine learning disabilities, reasons of the disabilities and the ways of removing them ,in Maths lesson 8th grade primary education. In this research state working pattern ,one of the type of the qualitative analysis , was used. Working group of the research is composed of 13 maths teachers and 35 8th grade studens in Küçükçekmece istanbul. Two data gathering process were used in this research. One of the data gathering process is half-structured interviews with teachers and students. The other one is level exams between 2009-2012 by M.N.E and trial maths tests thorughout Turkey. Teacher interviews were done in April of 2012-2013 educational year. Student interviews were done at the end of May in consideration of studying whole subjects. Trial tests,done in May, were included into the research. Percentage of correct answer by students was taken into consideration while analysing exam data. In this study, according to the teacher, student interviews and the results obtained from test data , the most learning difficulties experienced learning areas are numbers, algebra, measurement, statistics and probability. And also exponential numbers, inequalities, similarity, identity, patterns and geometric objects. When the teacher and student views are analysed the learning difficulties experienced by eights graders in mathematics classes has been investigated in four distinct categories; namely; student-related causes, causes related to learning environment, those caused by curriculum and finally teacher related causes. Among the given reasons, student related causes are also divided into three main categories which are " lack of cognitive strategy, lack of behavioral performance and motivation deficiency. Those related to learning environment include two main categories as family related causes and school related ones. After an analysis of the interviews conducted with both students and teachers, it has been realized that the causes of learning difficulties have been categorized similarly. However the subcategories of thes categories can be different from according to the subject's being a teacher or student. The subcategories are elaborated in the findings and results sections of the dissertation. Key Words: Learning Difficulty, Teaching Mathematics, Eighth Grade Mathematics Curriculum, Curriculum.