Teaching Fraction Using Models among Grade Five Pupils in Catmon Elementary School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Fraction represents a significant extension of children's knowledge about numbers. An understanding of it broadens students' awareness of the usefulness and power of numbers and extends this knowledge of the number system. Research proves that many students' difficulties in Algebra can be traced back to an incomplete understanding of earlier concepts of fractions. This is also the scenario in Grade Five class of CatmonElementary School. They have difficulty in adding and subtracting fractions when it comes to different denominators or what is called dissimilar fractions and the researcher believes that using model, this problem may be solved.

METHODS

In this study, the researcher used her own Grade Five class comprised of twenty-eight pupils as respondents. There were two lesson plans made by the teacher and executed to the class. The first plan was about solving dissimilar fractions as to addition and the second plan was solving dissimilar fraction as to subtraction wherein models were used in both lessons. Scores of the pupils for every lesson were tabulated and carefully analyzed using frequency, percentage and ranking.

RESULTS

In lesson 1, the performance of pupils in solving dissimilar fractions as to addition, twenty-four pupils out of twenty-eight got a passing rate in the evaluation while in the second lesson, the performance of pupils in solving dissimilar fractions as to subtraction twenty-five pupils got a passing rate. This shows that the models used by the teacher in teaching the lessons helped them to analyze dissimilar fractions. The use of models helped the pupils enhance their mathematical thinking skills. The use of acetate film containing fractions that put together during addition and subtraction of dissimilar fractions helped them a lot in answering mathematics problem about dissimilar fractions. This was also done through drawing on their own paper.

DISCUSSIONS

The results suggest that models can be important tools in helping students to think and reason in more meaningful ways especially in fractions. This will also help the teachers make the lesson more engaging and easy for the pupils to understand the concept of dissimilar fractions.