KUMON METHOD ON TEACHING SELECTED TOPICS IN MATHEMATICS 8

A Master’s Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School

Mindanao State University Maguindanao

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Master in Science Education Major in Mathematics

MAY ANGELIE U. DEQUITO

 Chapter 1

Introduction

Background of the study

Mathematics is one of the core subjects in secondary curriculum. It is one of the

fundamental subjects with many students perceived to have negative attitudes and sometimes,

fear of. It is considered an important learning area because the knowledge and skills taught in

this subject are vital factors in the success of the students. It develops the critical thinking and

perception of the learners, thus making them aware and ready as well as in solving problems in

their daily lives (Tabuada, 2015).

Learning Mathematics in the early phases of education has an excessive impact on the

ensuing development of the academic life of students, not only in this subject, but also in all

others, predominantly due to the perception of achievement that good mathematical academic

results will provide (Stoffelsma, L.; Spooren, W.2018).

At Kumon, the approach to learning is different to traditional methods of supplementary

education. It develops children through the acquisition of independent learning skills, rather than

teaching in the conventional sense. It equipped students with the ability to learn for themselves

so they do not become dependent on – or limited by – the skills and knowledge of others.

(Kumon Educational UK, 2016)

This method aims to maximize the learning potential of each child through self-learning,

the ability to concentrate, and the habit of study through a series of personalized activities that
are carried out daily. Furthermore, the mission of Kumon Method is as follows: “By

discovering the potential of each individual and developing his or her ability to the maximum,

we aim to foster capable people and thus contribute to the global community” (Zaragoza, 2016).

Similarly, the official curriculum of Mathematics does not always fit the learning rhythm

of each learner, because sometimes it is above or below their level of competence (knowledge,

skills, and attitudes). It is at this point where personalized education acquires greater relevance as

it will allow for the adaptation to individuals according to their characteristics. The school also

needs to comply with an official program that, in certain cases, does not give the chance to

dedicate enough time to certain cases of the leaning process that would slow down the pace of

the class itself, or to attend to other students with more capacity. That is the reason why

personalized education requires methods that allow attending and adapting learning to the

rhythm of each student. It is precisely at this point where the Kumon Method—which emerged

60 years ago in Japan—is involved, with the aim of answering this question.

According to the learning of mathematics throughout the Kumon Method it highlighted

the investigation of (Oakley et al., 2003) who conducted a research in Southern Michigan on

how to revitalize mathematics in an inner-urban school district. They showed how “Kumon

Mathematics appears to provide an ideal structured support in mathematics for at-risk children

who receive little or no help at home”.

On the recent result of the mean percentage scores of the students in Mathematics of the

students of CCNHS –ANNEX (DATU SEMA KALANTUNGAN SITE) it shows that there is a

remarkable mark of decreasing outcome. Teachers’ teaching strategies is one of the factors that

may affect the students’ performance. According to the action research conducted on the school

year 2016-2017 by Salahudin Pangunotan, a teacher of the said school, “the extent of
contribution of teaching qualities of teachers and the school’s internal and external factors that

are believed to be crucial not to take into account as factors that affect learning progress of the

students ”. It resulted that most of the students would have learned meaningfully if their teacher

possesses a good and effective teaching strategy.

The common problem of the school was the inaccessibility of resources such as

technologies and reading materials. Most of them have no interest in studying especially when it

comes to Mathematics. Moreover, the students’ study habit at home, most of them are poor and

their parents are expecting to help them in household chores and livelihood after school so they

don’t have time to study. Their parents cannot fully support and monitor the studies and the

performance in school of their children.

These remarks encouraged the researcher to find out if the Kumon method and its

approaches were also applicable among grade 8 students in CCNHS – ANNEX (Datu Sema

Kalantungan Site) District VI of Cotabato City. The grade 8 students of the said school were

located in the remote area of the city.

Thus, the study specifically aimed at assessing if the student-participant showed

development towards Math assessments and if they also showed high level of interest in the

Mathematics areas.

Statement of the problem

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of Kumon Method to

traditional lecture-type instruction on Grade 8 Mathematics Fourth Quarter competency

specifically on some topics in Statistics and Probability.

Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the pre and post-test scores of the respondents in the asssessment test in terms of:

a. Knowledge

b. Understanding

c. Process

d. Product?

2. Is there significance difference between the pre and post test scores of the respondents in terms

of:

a. Knowledge

b. Understanding

c. Process

d. Product?

3. What is the perception of the respondents on Kumon method in terms of:

a. Knowledge

b. Understanding

c. Process

d. Product?

Hypotheses of the study

On the basis of the questions proposed in this study, the following research hypothesis

was formulated.

Ho1: There is no significant difference between pre and post test scores of the respondents on

knowledge.
Ho2: There is no significant difference between pre and post test scores of the respondents on

process.

Ho3: There is no significant difference between pre and post test scores of the respondents on

understanding.

Ho4: There is no significant difference between pre and post test scores of the respondents on

product.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study sought to examine the effectiveness of Kumon method in Mathematics among

grade 8 students in CCNHS – ANNEX (Datu Sema Kalantungan Site) for the school year 2019-

2020. Sixty student- participants will completely randomly choose for the fourth grading period

of the school year at CCNHS-Datu Sema Kalantungan Site located at Tamontaka IV, Cotabato

City.

The study is limited only to Grade 8 – section Malik students of CCNHS – Annex (Datu

Sema Kalantungan Site). The topic is limited on Measures of Central Tendency and Variability.

Significance of the Study

The result of this study may offer dynamic information on part of the school

administrator. It will be an eye-opener on the effectiveness of Kumon method in teaching

Mathematics. It shall also gain useful information to which executed as bases for planning,
monitoring and evaluation of the teachers teaching strategies and academic performances of the

students towards Mathematics. It shall be a big help to the department in their goal on equipping

teachers to quality and innovative strategies that will arouse students’ interests in learning

Mathematics.

For teachers who will adopt this method may be more competent, diligent, and effective

teacher that will upsurge the involvement and mastery level of the students as well as it may

develop students ‘academic enactment.

The students may begin by studying hard at a comfortable level with the aim of

developing good study skills such as steady rhythm and pace, following instructions, sitting with

good posture and maintaining concentration. It may help them develop their good attitudes

towards the subject that will help them enhance their good academic performance and achieve

their goals in life.

As for the researcher, it may help her to discover other useful strategies to uphold the

participation level of the students towards activities, lectures, attendance in school, quizzes and

in taking exams. This may also give her a break for being the first researcher in District VI

Cotabato City Division to use this kind of method in teaching that may also be apply in other

schools in the district, division, and hopefully the whole country.

Definition of terms

For clearer understanding, the following terms are defined either operationally or

conceptually:

Kumon Method - is a methodology of enriching mathematics instruction that was originally

developed by Toru Kumon, a Japanese mathematics teacher.

Knowledge –

Understanding –

Process -

Pre - test – refers to a 30 items test which administered before the intervention.

Post – test - refers to a 30 items test which administered after the intervention program.

Students achievement in Mathematics – are the scores of the students based on their written

test result using Kumon method.

Traditional methods - A teaching style in which technology is used very little; blackboard,

chalk (or similar instruments), and lectures are the primary teaching tools.
 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents excerpts from published and unpublished materials related to the study.

The following materials further serve as supporting details which justifies the relevance and

significance of this study in the field of education.

Independent learning is ‘fostered by creating opportunities and experiences that

encourage learner motivation, curiosity, self-confidence and self-reliance, and is based on the

understanding by learners of their own interests and a valuing of learning for its own sake’.

- Meyer

History of Kumon

Kumon was founded by Toru Kumon, a Japanese educato. In 1954, Toru Kumon had

taught secondary math for twenty years. When his second grade son came home one afternoon

with a poor grade on a math test, Mrs. Kumon persuaded him to tutor the boy. He examined the

textbook and found much that he considered superfluous to gaining a strong command of math.

He shopped around for supplemental drill texts, but found them unsatisfactory as well. In his

words (Kumon Institute of Education 1987(a), p. 5):

...I found he was taking too much time on things that were not particularly

important. Naturally, this was no fun for him. Thinking it would not do for my

son to waste his time, I finally decided to design the teaching materials myself....

Eliminating what I considered was a waste of time and expanding what was

important, I devised an order of presentation that proceeded step by step from the

most elementary stage. This was the prototype of the Kumon materials with their
array of calculation problems.... He continued to study like this for 30 minutes

every day, and just after he entered the sixth grade, he had completed the

differential and integral calculus of the high school curriculum. I tried giving him

a few college entrance examination problems and he was able to solve most of

them. I remember how relieved I felt in the realization that, as he had reached this

level, he would have no worries over future entrance examinations…

In 1958, opening the first Kumon Math Centre in Moriguchi City, Osaka. Its opening

time varies on location. Prior to creating Kumon franchises, Kumon had a job teaching at Kochi

Municipal High School and Tosa Junior/Senior High School. Inspired by teaching his own son,

Takeshi, Kumon developed a curriculum focused on rote memorization.

Kumon initially grew slowly, only gaining 63,000 students over its first 16 years.

However, in 1974 Kumon published a book titled The Secret of Kumon Math, leading to a

doubling of its size in the next two years. Kumon opened their first United States locations in

1983, and by 1985, Kumon reached 1.4 million students.

Kumon soon added more educational subjects, leading them to change their name from

Kumon Institute of Mathematics to Kumon Institute of Education. At this point, the first Kumon

Logo was created. In 1985, Kumon's success lead to an increase in enrollments.

Kumon attracted national attention in the United States after implementation at Sumiton

Elementary School, in Sumiton, Alabama. It became the first American school to integrate the

Kumon Math Method into the regular K–4 mathematics curriculum. Sumiton has continued to

use the Kumon program through 2001, and has influenced other schools to also adopt the Kumon

method in their curriculum.

 As of 2008, Kumon had over 26,000 centres around the globe with over 4 million

registered students. As of 2018, there were 410,000 students enrolled in 2,200 centers across the

United States.

Fundamental Principles of Kumon Method

Kumon is a pedagogic method of Japanese origin whose purpose is to develop the full

learning potential of each individual. To this end, it relies on several aspects, such as self-

learning, concentration ability, habit of study, self-confidence, and academic self-esteem of

students. To achieve these goals, Kumon uses several programs, such as the Mathematics one

which was the first created, and on which this research is based on, followed by Reading and

English as a foreign language program. The method aims to discover the potential of learning in

students by providing them with the possibility of developing self-taught learning in these

disciplines.

There is extensive scientific literature and research about the Kumon Method that covers

a broad spectrum within the educational field in which we can find, from research on students

with specific needs, to studies that apply it in areas of social exclusion.

Then, we present some studies based on this method that give more support to our research and

to the concepts about it that we will present later.

One of the most consulted works in relation to the Kumon Method is the one of Ukai in, which

details a complete approach to the method, from its origins in Japan to its subsequent

international expansion across the United States and other parts of the world.

Regarding autonomous work, the ability to concentrate, and the agility to calculate, carried out

an investigation in which the Kumon Method was valued from a socio-educational point of view.
In this work, he concludes that students working with the Kumon Method work in an

autonomous and concentrated way, developing, from the beginning, the capacity and agility in

mental calculation as a consequence, among other factors, of the daily work. Lluch L. 2017

Importance of Kumon Method

The habits and capacities, on which Kumon relies, to achieve its goal, are: Self-learning,

the child learns how to learn by himself, without the need of depending of another person. Habit

of study, which allows the child to carry out learning tasks without difficulty. To foster

concentration, if the student is not able to focus on a specific task, it will be difficult for him to

learn effectively. Self-confidence that allows him to face any educational challenge.

Motivation to learn, to perceive learning as something enjoyable that will help him to grow as a

Person (KEA: London, UK, 2016).

This approach is also ideal practice for test taking. Getting the right answer quickly

allows the test taker to use the newly available time for tougher or skipped questions. Also, the

number sense and mental calculation that results from working the Kumon program are ideal for

solving contextual problems that require higher-order mathematical thinking and reasoning.

Benjamin Bloom advanced the concept that sufficient time, appropriate instruction and

corrective feedback will enable 95% of the students to learn what only 20% were thought to be

capable of. Kumon employs all three elements. Kumon facilitators rely on the students’ work

and success to drive student learning activities. Facilitators become a “guide on the side” rather

than the “sage on the stage.” The instructor is urged to remain sensitive to the attitude of the

student in order to assess and maintain the best balance of mastery and challenge. Using the

Kumon methodology, students must correct their errors, developing self-analytical skills. They
use this gained knowledge in acquiring the skill and concept on the next worksheet assignment.

(Orcos et.al, 2019)

It is a fact that the more efficient the mathematical learning in these first periods, the

greater the motivation of the student towards the academic world, in general, and towards

Mathematics in particular. It is important to comment on what authors such as (Stoffelsma, L.;

Spooren, W.2018) point out in reference to the lack of interest of students to choose scientific

and technological degrees, considering it as a factor that complicates the improvement of the

quality of learning in Mathematics.

Self-Learning as a Great Goal

Taking into account that the aim of Kumon Method is the development of students’

potential, self-learning is considered as the way to achieve this goal. In the words of Vygotsky,

the learning potential would be “the set of tasks that each person does not yet perform on his

own, but that he can achieve with adequate support from the environment (level of potential

development)” .

By contrast, self-learning would be the “ability of a subject to define himself, being the person

who educates and is educated”. In this sense, this author states that learning how to learn does

not only refer to the ability to seek information and to appropriate it, but it also involves learning

how to discriminate the information and, therefore, to analyze what is being learned and to seek

the link or confrontation with what has already been acquired. Therefore, Kumon suggests that

this potential development is achieved in a self-taught way, with the instructors and the material

itself standing at the level of potential development mentioned by Vygotsky. As we see, the
concept of potential development has great weight in the Kumon Method, and it will be obtained

through the mediation of the didactic material itself and the guidelines given by the instructors.

In that sense, the quality of mediation is decisive. Therefore, Vygotsky commented that it is

necessary to differentiate what is the Real Evolutionary Level, understood as the state of

development in the cognitive level of the child achieved through maturation and manifested with

the activities that can develop on its own, with the Evolutionary Potential Level, which is what

the person can achieve thanks to the intervention of the mediator.

This is the vision that arises from the Kumon Method when it is presented the concept of

developing the potential of each individual: to achieve the reach of higher goals, through the

mediation of materials and guidance of the instructors, that help the student to contribute to

society.

Kumon instructors

The instructor intervenes very little. When needed, instruction is always administered

one-to-one. The Kumon Instruction Manual expressly discourages grouping of students for

instruction. The instructor reviews the worksheets, shares hints designed to help the student

discover the answer herself, and assigns more worksheets. Some Kumon instructors are teachers

from public and private schools operating or utilizing Kumon method in the teaching – learning

process.

Instructors are taught that speed is significant up to a point, as long as the repetition

involved in acquiring it does not become discouraging. Although the Standard Completion Times

(SCT) are usually enforced, too much practice in any one area is, in the words of the Instruction

Manual "obviously counterproductive." The STC’s calculated for each worksheet include the
time required to correct any errors. The goal for every worksheet is perfect work in standard

time.

Instructors are urged to remain sensitive to the attitude of the student in order to assess

and maintain the best balance of mastery and challenge. Similarly, the instructor must wisely

judge the student’s performance on diagnostic and achievement tests, and develop appropriate

individual goals (usually extending six months, a year, and two years). Such goals involve the

commitment of students and the parents to the long-term effort necessary to meet them.

Though amusing at first, such practices are organically related to founder Kumon’s

philosophy that "first of all, the objective of the Kumon Method is not to teach children

arithmetic or math skill as an end in itself. Rather, it is an educational method that uses

arithmetic and math as a means to develop the fullest potential of each individual child." It is felt

that the lack of individualized learning in regular schools leads to the failures and frustrations in

math for so many children. "This convinces children that they are incapable, gives them a feeling

of inferiority, and makes them dislike math even more. It is not the confused children who are in

the wrong; it is the methods and materials being used by the teacher." Hence the emphasis on

confidence, modest successes (even at levels below grade), and concentration skills. These

prepare the student for the process of self-teaching. Of those starting below grade, about 90% are

said by Kumon to catch up to their school curriculum within a year.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual paradigm is shown in figure 1.

INTERVENTION
Kumon Method

Pre – test scores Post – test scores

 Knowledge  Knowledge
 Process  Process
 Understanding  Understanding
 Product  Product

Perception on Kumon Method

 Knowledge
 Process
 Understanding
 Product

Figure 1. Conceptual Paradigm showing the relationship of the variables

investigated in the study
The focus of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of Kumon Method in teaching grade

8 Mathematics. Above is the schematic diagram of the conceptual framework. The upper shaped

is the intervention, the Kumon Method. The first box on the left side contains the pre-test with

knowledge, process, understanding, and product. The second box in the right side, represents the

post-test with knowledge, process, understanding, and product. The arrow connecting the first

box to the second box shows that kumon method will be used as intervention to the experimental

group. The box below the post-test will be the perception of the students after administering the

intervention.
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the procedures and methods for gathering data in this study will be

described. It will explain the research design, locale of the study, respondents of the study,

research instruments, data gathering procedures, and statistical treatment of data.

Research Design

The research design that will be used in this study is One-Group Pre-Test – Post-Test

Experimental Research. The researcher will select one class to be the subject. The group will be

expose to experimental treatment or the intervention. Before the start of the study, the group will

be given a pre-test about the selected topics of the subject matter to be carried out in the

intervention program. After the investigation and intervention, the same group off subjects will

be given a post-test.

Locale of the Study

This study will be conducted at CCNHS - Datu Sema Kalantungan in the Division of

Cotabato City particularly in the District VI. CCNHS - Datu Sema Kalantungan ,formerly named

CCNHS - Lisbong Site, is located in Barangay Tuan-a-Barakat, Tamontaka IV, Cotabato City

respectively. The school was established last February 2007.

 It is categorize as small school since it has only a less than of 200 students population and

there is only one section for each grade level. For the present school year, it now offers Senior

High School Program in addition to the existing Junior High School Program. The school is also

one of the annexes of CCNHS - Main Campus. The school is near in the river where most of the

people source of income is fishing and farming. The school mentioned above is located in a far-

flung area and experiencing seasonal flooding during rainy season.

Subjects of the Study

The respondents of this study will be sixty (60) Junior High School students of Grade 8 –

Malik class of CCNHS – ANNEX (DATU SEMA KALANTUNGAN SITE. Complete

enumeration of the students of the class will be done.

Research Instrument

The researcher will be using the personally made Pre- and Post-test, which will be

subjected to validity test by three (3) experts. It will be a 30 item tests that includes gauging the

skills about some topics in measures of central tendency and measures of variability.

Apart from pre and post-test, the researcher will be giving five (5) quizzes in the form of

worksheets in three (3) weeks discussion of the lesson, the worksheets will be personally made

by the researcher. The KPUP (Knowledge, Process, Understanding, Product) format test will be

followed for both pre- and post-test and quizzes.

As mandated in (DepEd Order No.31, s. 2012), the Department of Education proposed

that the students need to be assessed on the domains of knowledge, process, understanding, and
product. This jargon is made in order for the students to achieve the content and performance

standards of the curriculum.

The Table of Specification (TOS) will be patterned and in accordance on the domains

which are the KPUP. A semi-detailed lesson plan will be constructed for this lesson (Measures of

Central Tendency and Measures of Variability. The lesson plan, TOS, Pre- and post-test, and 5

worksheets that will be served as their quizzes will be thoroughly checked by the panelists.

Moreover, the researcher will adopt a test of validity from Reyes, Flordeliza C., a Filipino

Mathematician who conducted a research regarding the effective use of the hand-held calculator

in teaching mathematics.

The following will be used to describe and interpret the results of pre- and post-test:

Levels of Score Range and Its Descriptions

Level Score Range Description

Knowledge Process Understanding Product
Very 7 9-10 8 5 Demonstrate an accurate and
High understanding on the problem
High 5-6 6-8 6-7 3-4 Demonstrate an accurate and
with understanding on the
problem
Average 3-4 3-5 3-5 1-2 Demonstrate an accurate with
only little understanding on the
problem
Poor 0-2 0-2 0-2 0 Having hard time to answer the
problem. Lack of understanding
 For the five (5) quizzes, the researcher will be using the following scales, descriptions,

and interpretation.

Level Knowled Process Underst Product Description

ge anding
Quizzes Quiz Qui Qui Quiz 1 Quiz 4
1,2,3,4, 1 z2 z &3 &5
&5 3&
4
Excelle 5 9-10 5 9- 5 5 Utilize the appropriate strategy
nt 10 to come up with the correct
solution
Very 4 7-8 4 7-8 4 4 Utilize the appropriate strategy
Good to come up with the correct
answer but a part of the solution
led to an incorrect answer
Good 3 5-6 3 5-6 3 3 Utilize the appropriate strategy
but the entire solutions led to an
incorrect answers
Fair 2 3-4 2 3-4 2 2 Attempted to answer or solve
the problem using inappropriate
strategy
Poor 1 0-2 1 0-2 1 1 Do not attempt to solve the
problem at all

A qualitative method will also manage in this research. A survey questionnaire will be

also given to the students to get their perception towards the effect of Kumon method in learning

Mathematics. Each survey questionnaire consists of fifteen (15) items. To answer the survey

questionnaire, the researcher will be using likert scale and descriptions; 4 - Strongly Agree, 3 -

Agree, 2- Disagree, and 1 – Strongly Disagree.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher will write a letter of request to the schools division superintendent of

Cotabato City. After which, the researcher ask permission from the school head to conduct the

study in their respective school.

All the respondents will take the pre-test at the start of the experimental period. After the

pre-test, the teacher will use the intervention program using Kumon approach. Series of quizzes

will also be given to the respondents in accordance to KPUP domains. The researcher will check

the papers and record the scores obtained by the respondents. The scores and test results would

be kept confidential and should not be given to the students. Also, during the experimental period

the researcher will be taking videos for mode of verification of the study.

After the two to three weeks period, the post - test will be given to the respondents. The test

result from pre-test and post-test, questionnaire, and quizzes will be analyse and evaluate by the

experts.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The researcher will utilize a descriptive statistics which includes the frequency

distribution, mean, and standard deviation as statistical tools in answering the number one

question.

For question number two, Paired T-test will be used to determine whether the differences

in the pre- and post-test mean scores of the students in learning Mathematics with the application

of Kumon Method is significant at 0.05 level of significance.

 Lastly for question number three, the level of understanding on the five quizzes in terms

of (Knowledge, Process, Understanding, and Product ) and the perceive effects on the Kumon

Method, Descriptive statistics will also be utilize specifically in getting the mean and standard

deviation.