Mastery in Multiplication among Grade 4 Pupils: Basis for Difficulty in Teaching Math

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Mathematics has been with numerous negative comments among pupils nowadays. With the different strategies intended for making Mathematics teaching easy to understand still, pupils are having a hard time in doing such especially in Multiplication. It has been a teachers' everyday prayer for his pupils to memorize and understand multiplication. With the fact that one cannot go through other math concepts without the mastery in Multiplication, teaching Math and other related concepts are not that easy.

METHODS

The researcher used descriptive qualitative research where she interviewed five math teachers to be able to generate and explain why mastery in Multiplication is needed among Grade 4 pupils before proceeding to another level in teaching. Moreover, she also addressed questions which let the respondents answered about how difficult it is to discuss math without mastery in Multiplication.

RESULTS

Among teachers, the researcher interviewed most of them depending on the mastery of multiplication for pupils to understand the next level of topics in math among Grade 4 pupils. It is also very evident that teaching math among Grade 4 pupils without mastery in Multiplication is like putting yourself in a situation where you do not know what will come after. Needless to say, mastery in Multiplication is a prerequisite for a Math teacher to discuss the next topic in Mathematics.

DISCUSSIONS

Mathematics has been a requirement and a subject even in tertiary levels. It is a need that every pupil masters every concept intended for that grade level. But then, the need for a strategy and an action plan which will run within the school year which will make standardized teaching to master Multiplication and result in understanding the concept.