Action Research in Mathematics Problem-Solving and Reading

Comprehension go hand-in-hand

It cannot be denied that problem solving is an important part of Mathematics

education. Mathematics, in general, is an important subject because of its practical
role to a person and the society as a whole. However, before a student can
successfully solve a problem, he has to possess good reading comprehension,
analytic and computational skills.
_________________________________________________________________

I. Situation

Problem solving in Mathematics and reading comprehension go hand in hand.

Solving Math problems entails or requires the students to do or apply two skills at
the same time- reading and computing. It is a two-edged sword which the student
should conquer, so to speak.

As a teacher of Mathematics in Grade 3 for five years in the public school, I have
encountered many pupils who are poor both in comprehending and analyzing
Mathematics word problems. Specifically in SY 2017-2018 Grade 3 class, only 8
out of 40 pupils can successfully solve problems in Math without or with just little
help from the teacher. The rest need to be guided to understand the problem.
Approximately 80% find it hard to picture the situation indicated by the problem
they are trying to solve. The slow ones would even ask the meaning of a certain
word in the problem. When they have understood it, it is only then that they fully
grasp the event/situation pictured in the problem. However, there are still some
who cannot understand it, probably because they can’t connect or relate the ideas
explained in the problem. When it is time to analyze or break down the problem,
only the 11 pupils mentioned earlier can actively participate.

During group activities, the leaders would most often report that their members
have to be monitored closely so that they would be able to correctly analyze the
problem. Based on their report, roughly 3 out of 7 members actively contribute in
their output.

That is why, during summative tests, only 8 can get a perfect score. Majority of the
class get 0-3 correct answers out of 5 given problems. Since the beginning of the
school year, I have noticed that roughly 80%of the class has poor reading
comprehension skills. The Grade 2 teacher warned me beforehand that this class is
the slowest batch he has handled; particularly in reading comprehension. Many of
the pupils in the class have poor vocabulary skills. True enough, I experience the
same thing now. It seems that the present batch of pupils is worse than the previous
one. Translating this into analyzing the problems in Mathematics, there is a grim
prospect that they would find it hard to understand Math problems and thus affect
their performance in the said area, not with standing their numerical skills. In
straight computations like plain addition, multiplication, subtraction and division,
they can solve them successfully with very little help. But when these are written
in the verbal context-not in the numerical context- they are already at a loss, so to
speak. Obviously, the bane of these pupils is the understanding of the contents of
the math problems correctly and connecting the ideas expressed in it to fully grasp
and find a way to successfully solve the problem.

________________________________________________________________

II. The Problem

The problem is the failure of the Grade 3 pupils of Tenement Elementary School,
SY 2017-2018, to correctly analyze word problems in Mathematics due to poor
reading comprehension abilities.

Possible Causes:

1. Limited vocabulary words in Mathematics

2. Lack of technique in solving word problems

_________________________________________________________________

III. Generation of Alternative Solution

This action research offers alternative solution to the following:

1. Limited Mathematics vocabulary

a. Provide unlocking of difficulties through vocabulary development before the

beginning of the Math class

b. Establish a tutor-tutee relationship wherein a good pupil tutors or teaches a slow

classmate assigned to him in areas of reading comprehension and problem-solving

c. Provide interesting and challenging vocabulary activities involving Mathematics

vocabulary such as in contests and games

2. Lack of technique in solving word problems

a. Organize the given information found in the problem

b. Use object representation and manipulatives to picture clearly the given Math
problem

c. Substitute large numbers by simpler numbers or restate the problem in much

simpler terms through improved reading comprehension

d. Make a number sentence out of the word problem

e. Use the “trial and error” method or the “guess and check”

________________________________________________________________

IV. Plan of Action

a. Objectives

1. Improve the pupils’ limited vocabulary wordsin Mathematics and enhance

reading comprehension ability of the students

2. Develop the pupils’ techniques in solving word problems

b. Time Frame

This study will be conducted for second quarter, from August to October of SY
2017-2018

c. Target Subjects
The target subjects for this study are the Grade 3 pupils of Tenement Elementary
School during the academic year 2017-2018.

d. Activities to be Undertaken

Target Date
Persons Involved
Activities
Expected Results
October 2017
School Head
A. Inform the school head about the action research to be undertaken
Granted permission to conduct the research October 2017
Grade 3 pupils, Co-teachers
B. Orientation of the pupils and co-teachers regarding the action research
100% of the pupils and co-teachers will be aware of the on-going research
C. Improve the pupils'limited vocabulary words in Mathematics
August 2017
Grade 3 pupils
1. Survey the Mathematics vocabulary skill of the pupils.
100% of the pupils will be surveyed
August to October 2017
Grade 3 pupils
2. Provide unlocking of difficulties through vocabulary development before the
beginning of the Math class.
100% of the class will develop and enhance their Math vocabulary skill
August 2017
Grade 3 pupils, Teacher
3. Establish a tutor-tutee relationship in reading comprehension and problem-
solving wherein a good pupil tutors a slow classmate assigned to him100% of the
slow pupils will learn from their tutor-classmates
October 2017 until the end of the school year
Grade 3 pupils , Teacher
4. Provide interesting and challenging vocabulary activities involving Math
vocabulary such as in contestsand game.
100% of the pupils will participate more actively in discussions and activities
D. Develop the pupils' techniques in solving word problems

September to October 2017

Grade 3 pupils, Teacher
1. Draw a graph, chart, graphic organizer or list to help the students organize their
information found in the word problem.
100% of the pupils will be able to organize the given data and connect the ideas
expressed in the problem
August 2017

Grade 3 pupils, Teacher

2. Ask the students to make representation of objects so they will be able to
visualize the problem clearly. They can use ruler, play money, realia, blocks, dice,
etc.
100% of the pupils can manipulate and be aided by these materials in solving word
problems
September 2017
Grade 3 pupils, Teacher
3. Substitute large numbers by simpler numbers and use them instead of what are
given in the problem, Problems can also be restated in much simpler terms.
100% of the pupils will be able to simplify the problem and substitute simpler
numbers for the given numbers
October 2017
Grade 3 pupils, Teacher
4. From the given problem, make a number sentence by substituting the English
sentences into Mathematics sentences. Another technique is to translate the
problem into a dialect most understood by the students.
100% of the pupils will be able to master writing the number sentence
October 2017
Grade 3 pupils, Teacher
5. Solve by "trial and error" or "guess and check" by using the answers provided in
multiple choice problems.
100% of the pupils will be able to apply the guess and check technique

V. Evaluation Criteria

The result of this research shall be reported after 100% of the Grade 3 pupils have
improved their Mathematics problem-solving skills.
______________________________________________________________

VI.Research Design

This action research is purely descriptive in nature which uses pre-test/post-test

results and survey results to address the pupils’ problem.

Activities
Data To Be Collected
Statistical Treatment
1. Conduct a pre-survey of the previous Math vocabulary and reading
comprehension of students
Pre-survey result
Average
2. Administer the pre-test
Result of the pre-test
Percentage
3. Conduct daily test on Math vocabulary
Result of the daily test
Percentage
4. Conduct weekly test on problem-solving
Weekly test result
Percentage
5. Conduct a post-survey of the Mathematics vocabulary of the pupils
Post-survey result
Average
6. Administer the post-test
Result of the post-test
Percentage
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