The van Hiele levels of understanding of students entering senior high school in Ghana

This study was an attempt to measure the Van Hiele levels of geometric thought attained by SHS 1 students on entering Senior High School in Ghana. In all, 188 SHS Form 1 students from two schools were involved in this study. These students were given the Van Hiele Geometry Test adapted from the ‘Cognitive Development and Achievement in Secondary School Geometry Test’ items and an aptitude test, both in the fourth week of their entry to the SHS. The results showed that 59% of the students attained Van Hiele level 1. Out of 59%, 11% reached level 2 and only 1% reached level 3 by the theory. This indicates that the Van Hiele level of understanding of (i.e. over 90%) Ghanaian students before entering SHS is lower than that of their colleagues other countries. Keywords : van Hiele levels, geometric thinking, secondary school geometry