SEMIOTIC REASONING EMERGES IN CONSTRUCTING PROPERTIES OF A RECTANGLE: A STUDY OF ADVERSITY QUOTIENT

Abstract

Semiotics is simply defined as the sign-using to represent a mathematical concept in a problem-solving. Semiotic reasoning of constructing concept is a process of drawing a conclusion based on object, representamen (sign), and interpretant. This paper aims to describe the phases of semiotic reasoning of elementary students in constructing the properties of a rectangle. The participants of the present qualitative study are three elementary students classified into three levels of Adversity Quotient (AQ): quitter/AQ low, champer/AQ medium, and climber/AQ high. The results show three participants identify object by observing objects around them. In creating sign stage, they made the same sign that was a rectangular image. However, in three last stages, namely interpret sign, find out properties of sign, and discover properties of a rectangle, they made different ways. The quitter found two characteristics of rectangular objects then derived it to be a rectangle’s properties. The champer found four characteristics of the objects then it was derived to be two properties of a rectangle. By contrast, Climber found six characteristics of the sign and derived all of these to be four properties of a rectangle. In addition, Climber could determine the properties of a rectangle correctly.

Keywords

• reasoning
• semiotic
• semiotic reasoning
• construction concept
• adversity quotient (aq)