Improving the Performance of Guinayangan Elementary School Grade Six Purple in Addition and Subtraction of Dissimilar Fractions through Ladder Method

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The researcher conducted this study to address the problem of her pupils regarding fractions, specifically on addition and subtraction of dissimilar fractions. Previously, the researcher allowed the use of any method in finding the GCF and LCM, both prerequisite skills in addition and subtraction of dissimilar fractions. She noticed that majority of the Grade VI pupils only employed the Listing Method. Doing that meant taking too much of their time to answer one item, thus leading them to fail in the summative tests usually composed of 15-20 items, and more so of the 50-item Quarterly Test. With this situation year after year, the teacher-researcher thought of adopting a single method in teaching GCF and LCM. She focused on the Ladder Method, with the hope that pupils will be able to accurately solve fraction problems in lesser time.

METHODS

This study employed a quasi-experimental method of research to compare the performance level of the respondents before and after using the Ladder Method. A set of 30-item questions was administered to all pupils enrolled in Grade Six-Purple at Guinayangan Elementary School. The whole process lasted for one month.

RESULTS

The MPS before using the Ladder Method was 16.76%, while the MPS after using it was 70. 69%. The findings also revealed that there was a significant difference between the pretest and the post-test results justified by the computed t-value of 18. 36 which is 16.325 above the critical value of 2.035. This led to the decision of the researcher to reject the hypothesis set at the standard 0.05 level. The result also showed the performance level of each learner. From "Did not meet Expectation" level during the pre-test, five pupils leaped to "Outstanding" level, three reached the "Very Satisfactory" level, six were "Satisfactory," and five to the "Fairly Satisfactory" level. Although 15 pupils remained at the "Did not meet Expectation" level, the difference between their pre-test and post-test was remarkable. Hence, we can say that using the Ladder Method helped the pupils perform significantly better in addition and subtraction of dissimilar fractions.

DISCUSSIONS

These positive results may be credited to the use of the Ladder Method, which was also similar to the findings in the study conducted by Nikjeh in 2012 entitled “Effectiveness of Ladder Method of Finding LCD for Learning Operations on Fractions.” This method helped the pupils with their difficulties with fractions. Using the method helped them not only to find the GCF and the LCM but to solve addition and subtraction of dissimilar fractions accurately in lesser time. This action research has proven the effectiveness of the Ladder Method in improving the performance of pupils in addition and subtraction of dissimilar fractions.