Reinforcing Basic Numeracy Skills of Grade 10 Students

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

It cannot be denied that many of the high school learners even Grade 10 students are unprepared for learning higher Mathematics because of their low-level numeracy skills that result in low performance in this subject. This saddening fact would have a great impact on the students for those numeracy skills are basic and fundamental to higher level Mathematics. In order to address this problem, starting the school year 2016-2017, Department of Education Laguna initiated the Numeracy Inventory Tool for Laguna Learners (NIT2L) which consists of 3-level test items in the following topics: Whole Numbers, Rational Numbers, Decimals and Integers. These are basic topics which require mastery of skills.

METHODS

The researcher administered the Pre-Test of the Numeracy Intervention Tool for Laguna Learners (NIT2L) kit to 33 Grade 10 students to determine their level of Numeracy from levels 1 to 3. The identified Non-numerate and Numerate students had their intervention, while the Advance and Highly Numerate students proceeded to the next level. Series of remedial teaching, guided or independent intervention was given to those students who had lower numeracy skills than the desired. The results of Post Tests were utilized to identify students who would proceed to the next level once the student reached desirable numeracy skill.

RESULTS

The implementation of NIT2L to 33 students demonstrated progress in the numeracy skills of the students. Records showed that after undergoing a series of remedial teaching, guided or independent intervention, students under the Non-numerate and Numerate level reached the desirable numeracy level of advance or highly numerate. There was also a significant improvement in the MPS from Pre-Test to Post Test of levels 1 to3. The students' grades in Mathematics had a drastic increase of 6 points at an average after the program This only implied that the implementation of the program helped the learners to perform better in Mathematics.

DISCUSSIONS

The results demonstrate that the basic numeracy skills are vital aspects of learning that will always be enriched and enhanced so students will strengthen their problem-solving capacities. Mathematics teachers may employ NIT2L so that students may better understand the subject-matter and be highly numerates accordingly to their grade level. Extrinsic rewards and motivations may also be used to encourage students to optimize their numeracy skills.