Relationship of Reading Skills and Solving Mathematical Word of Grade Five Pupils: Basis for an intervention Program

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

As Math Teachers, we encounter many pupils who are poor both in comprehension and analyzing Math word problems. Most of the pupils need to be guided in understanding the given problem for them to solve it. The slow learners often ask the meaning of a certain word in the problem. When they have understood it, it is only the time that they could answer it. However, there are lots of pupils who can solve basic computation independently using the four fundamental operations but if we give these in a form of word problems, they find it so hard to solve it.

METHODS

This research study was conducted to formulate an intervention program on how to improve pupils' analytic skills in solving word problems and identify the relationship of reading comprehension in solving word problems in Mathematics. The study covered school year 2018-2019 and used random sampling, 20 pupils enrolled in Grade Five of Rosa G. Acuna Memorial Elementary School, District of Alfonso, 10 male and 10 female.

RESULTS

Formative test were used to find out how pupils find difficulty in solving word problems. After getting the result of Pre-test, the researcher conducted a five-week cycle of Reading Intervention across Math Problems. In the first day, the pupils were asked to familiarize themselves in mathematical terminologies through different techniques, then followed by problem analysis onthe second day, computing numbers on the third day, problem solving on the fourth day, and evaluation for the last day. Based on the test result, the intervention program helped pupils in solving word problems easily and improved their poor vocabulary in mathematical terms in analyzing problems. Statistical tools such as frequency, mean and percentage and Mean Percentage Score (MPS) were used to ascertain the percent of increased/ decreased. From 17.5 MPS on pre-test, it increased to 78 percent were the pupils solved the formative test with properly.

DISCUSSIONS

Reading cannot be taken for granted if mathematics performance needs to be enhanced. Learning to follow math instructions requires good foundation in reading. Through this, the researcher promoted pupils' good performance in solving Math problems, helped pupils in solving Math word problems, and improved teachers' teaching skills using different strategies in reading comprehension in relation to solving word problem in Math. It also established good camaraderie among teachers and administrator.