The Use of Contextualized Learning Material in Teaching and Learning Grade 9 Mathematics

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The Division of Calamba City did not perform well in all achievement tests given by the Department of Education. The Schools Division Superintendent then encouraged all school heads to have an intervention program in order to improve the academic performance of students. Camp Vicente Lim National High School was the biggest school in the Division of Calamba City. The school offered special Mathematics Curriculum from first to fourth year. The school's performance was quite alarming considering that the target MPS is 75%. This has prompted the researcher who was a mathematics teacher for 23 years to come up with an intervention in order to improve the school performance, which was the Contextualized Leaning Material in Grade 9 Mathematics. The researcher was a co-author of the said material and so she was advised to use this to her class in order to improve the students' performance. However, an analysis of student's performance was needed to find out its effectiveness.

METHODS

The researcher constructed the Contextualized Learning Material and look for its validity and effectiveness on the performance of selected students. This study aimed to validate and determine the effectiveness of the Contextualized Learning Material. The study was descriptive-evaluative in nature and utilized 4 experts, 4 teachers and 50 grade 9 students of Camp Vicente Lim National School. The statistical tools were the weighted mean, ranking, mean percentage score (MPS) and t-test for hypothesis testing.

RESULTS

Based on the results of the study, it was found out that the topics, activities and evaluation of the Contextualized Learning Material were very much valid and was useful as instructional material in teaching. After using the material, majority of the respondents improved from low performing to average and high performing.

DISCUSSIONS

In line with the findings of the study, it is recommended that a test be conducted and analyzed in order to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of the students. Similar to the Contextualized Learning Material, mathematics teachers should use different intervention materials in order to improve the performance of the students. This implied that the Contextualized Learning Material are more useful and comprehensive on the part of the students.