Effect of Math Anxiety and Mathematical Intervention of Grade One Pupils on Mathematics Performance: Basis for Improved Teaching Strategies

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The study entitled "Effect of Math Anxiety and Early Mathematical Intervention of Grade One Pupils on Mathematics Performance: Basis for Improved Teaching Strategies" aims to Identify pupil with mathematical anxiety at an early stage and make a necessary intervention in order to eliminate and improve math performance in later years of their schooling. It seeks to answer: 1. what is the grade 1 pupils' attitude and performance toward Mathematics before and after MTAP and other interventions; 2. is there a significant difference in the pupil's attitude and performance towards math? 3. what teaching strategies may be proposed for the improvement of Mathematics performance.

METHODS

The study used multiple research design, descriptive and experimental design, the participants were the grade one and two pupils of Labac Elementary School, School Year 2014-2015. Purposive random sampling, Math Anxiety Scale teacher-made, and t-test were used.

RESULTS

Grade one pupils' attitude towards Math before the MTAP and other intervention indicate that almost half of the class doesn't kind Mathematics. The pretest of the pupils in the experimental (with MTAP) and control group (Without MTAP) was the same. The post-test performance in Math of the two groups differ significantly based on their mean score and the t-test computed value indicating the difference in their post-test performance and one of them performed better than the other. Comparing the t-test result of the group using the t-test indicates that the pupil's performance on each group differs significantly from each other. The group with MTAP or the experimental group learned better than the group with no MTAP considering the greater difference of their t-test obtained from the table values.

DISCUSSIONS

MTAP and other Math teaching instruments such as the worksheet, games and other student-centered activities can be used together with the teacher-centered approach for a variety of teaching strategies to eliminate the monotony of the class. By requiring pupils to assess their own knowledge,to recognize deficiencies, and to obtain the desired information through their own investigation at an early age will enhance their self-discovery, hence the MTAP intervention is essential to Science teaching and is recommended for use in every Science class. Pupils enjoy being the center of the instruction, more studies in our elementary setting should be conducted to develop pupil’s self-confidence and enhance learning through self-discovery.