Innovative Materials Towards the Mastery of Multiplication of Low-Performing Grade Seven Students in Anselmo A. Sandoval Memorial National High School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Multiplication is the basic fundamental operation for all time. In this generation, we are always faced with problems and have to make decisions that are associated with the understanding of quantities. These quantities are merely additive or multiplicative in nature. The trend today is that not all learners entering grade 7 have mastery of multiplication, which is very important before learning higher Mathematics subject. This paper wanted to identify those low-performing students in multiplication specifically in Grade 7 of Anselmo A. Sandoval Memorial National High School and to find more innovative/ intervention materials that will hasten their mastery on multiplication.

METHODS

This action research applied a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics. Data was gathered from 150 grade 7 students as respondents who were identified as low performing in multiplication by grade 7 mathematics teachers. The information gathered from the respondents were analyzed and used to make suggestions regarding the different activities to supplement the use of innovative materials. The data sources gathered over a period of four weeks included the preliminary investigation through identifying low performing grade 7 students in the lower section class, surveys about students' difficulties towards memorizing the multiplication factors from 1 to 12, surveys on the different kinds of innovative materials the respondents have known, surveys on the importance of innovative materials to the students, written and oral pretests and post-tests containing multiplication of numbers from 1 to 12, and student interviews.

RESULTS

The results of this action research indicate that the use of innovative materials is very effective in addressing the low performing grade 7 students in the mastery of multiplication. Innovative materials such as bookmarks, flashcards, modified multiplication table, video presentation of the multiplication table, and e-games pertaining to multiplication factors were made by the researchers. Recommendations based on the results of the investigation include the continuous use of innovative materials, and the strict implementation of utilizing such kind of intervention to the school, thus helping students become better mathematical problem solvers.

DISCUSSIONS

Based on the results of the t-test between the pre-test scores and post-test scores of written and oral examinations, it turns out that the innovative materials are very effective in addressing the low-performing students in the mastery of multiplication. Recommendations based on the results of the investigation include the continuous use of innovative materials and the strict implementation of utilizing such kind of intervention to the school, thus helping students become better mathematical problem solvers.