Motivation as Correlate of Slow Learners’ Achievement in Modular Arithmetic in Senior Secondary School Mathematics

The study investigated the relationship between motivation and academic achievement of slow learners in modular arithmetic in senior secondary school mathematics in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population of the study was all the 726 (361 male 365 female) senior secondary school one (SS1) students in Orumba South Local Government Area in Anambra State. The sample size was the identified 127 (59 male and 68 female) slow learners purposively selected from seven (7) randomly sampled secondary schools in the study area. The instruments used for data collection were Modular arithmetic Academic Motivation Inventory (MAMI), and Modular arithmetic Achievement Test (MAAT). These instruments were validated by three experts in the field. The reliability index of MAMI was gotten as 0.84 using Chronbach Alpha and that of MAAT was obtained as 0.75 using Kuder Rechardson 20 (K-R20). Data collected were analyzed using Regression Analysis in answering all the research questions and Analysis of Variance Regression Analysis for testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance. The findings of the study revealed a significant high positive relationship between motivation and slow learners’ academic achievement in modular arithmetic. It was also found that gender has no significant relationship between academic motivation and slow learners’ academic achievement in modular arithmetic in senior secondary school Mathematics. The findings of the study were discussed and it was recommended among others that enough motivation should be given to slow learners to boost their self-confidence so as to achieve higher in Mathematics.