Sample Action Research in Math
Sample Action Research in Math
Sample Action Research in Math
Contact Author
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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 6 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 2010-2011 Grade 6 class, only 11 out of 60 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 82% 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 formative tests, only11 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 85%of the class has poor reading comprehension skills. The Grade 5 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
,notwithstanding 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.
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The problem is the failure of the Grade VI pupils of Zapote Elementary School, SY 2011-2012, to
correctly analyze word problems in Mathematics due to poor reading comprehension abilities.
Possible Causes:
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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
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
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a. Objectives
1. Improve the pupils’ limited vocabulary wordsin Mathematics and enhance reading comprehension
ability of the students
b. Time Frame
This study will be conducted for one quarter, from July to September of SY 2011-2012
c. Target Subjects
The target subjects for this study are the Grade VI pupils of Zapote Elementary School during the
academic year 2011-2012.
d. Activities to be Undertaken
3. Establish a tutor-tutee
relationship in reading
100% of the slow pupils will
comprehension and problem-
July 21, 2011 Grade VI pupils, Teacher learn from their tutor-
solving wherein a good pupil
classmates
tutors a slow classmate assigned
to him
V. Evaluation Criteria
The result of this research shall be reported after 100% of the Grade VI pupils have improved their
Mathematics problem-solving skills.
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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.
3. Conduct daily test on Math vocabulary Result of the daily test Percentage
RELATED
advocated that problem solving is an integral part of all mathematics learning. For
many at-risk students, difficulties in problem solving stemmed from several areas
(NCTM, 1989). Normally, the resistance at-risk students had with problem solving
came from a language barrier, slow learning pace, attention deficit, retention
(Geary, Bow-Thomas, & Yao, 1992 & Bernando, 1999). In order to assist at-risk
mathematical abilities and the difficulties they had with problem solving. This
included the gifted child who had special needs for more challenging work. Diezmann,
experiences for all students in the classroom, we teachers should pay particular
attention to the needs of exceptional students, those with learning difficulties as well
learning characteristics and employed strategies that engaged them in problem solving
tasks (O‟Malley, Chamot, Manzanares, Kupper, & Russo, 1985a). Identifying learning
characteristics and employing strategies are important because they assisted students
in gaining command over required skills and are associated with language acquisition
(O‟Malley et al., 1985a). According to the NCTM (2006), all students needed to build
new mathematical knowledge through problem solving, solve problems that arise in
mathematics and in other contexts, apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies
to solve problems and monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem
solving.
worked on students‟ mathematical and reading skills (Chamot & O‟Malley, 1994).
and problem-solving strategies as part of their daily lesson activities in order to assist
strategies into the classroom. Chamot & O‟Malley (1994) confirmed, “Thus,
guidelines must be established that will enable teachers of ESL students to build the
necessary language supports for students to be able to understand the language in word
and Rees, 1972, Kintch and Greeno, 1985, De Corte and Verschaffel, 1987, Carpenter
and Hiebert, 198, and Lewis and Mayer, 1987, focused on difficulties that at-risk
students had when solving mathematical word problems. Therefore, in order to assist
reading instruction, founded on a core curriculum that defines the knowledge and
skills necessary for effective practice, is vital to improved classroom instruction” (p.
8).
Today, with the No Child Left Behind Act, teachers are required to implement
more important now than ever because educational standards were being raised. In
Chamot and O‟Malley (1994), mathematics teachers had not extended students awareness
build upon and expand students learning beyond simple computation, formulas and
principles. “A call for new standards of student performance and new guidelines for
teaching has heavily influenced discussion of the appropriate instructional methods in
Purpose
The purpose of this action research study was to observe students mathematical
comprehend and solve word problems. In particular, I studied at risk students who
received direct instruction and were taught mathematical strategies. Through the use of
Research Questions
2. How did the use of mathematical problem solving strategies (Act it out, Draw a
diagram, Draw a picture, Make a chart, graph, or list, Guess and Check, Make it
simpler, Use logical reasoning. Work backwards and Find a pattern. Polya‟s problem
solving notebook were used to observe, collect, record, analyze and explore how students
use problem-solving strategies while solving a word problem. These were used to
monitor students reading, mathematical and problems solving skills. These observations
mathematical word problems. Student journals were created to record and view how
conducted to assists students who had difficulties while solving mathematics word
problems. Students who struggled with reading skills due to language barriers and
interviews I tried to provide students with reading and mathematical strategies to assists
Rationale
For the purpose of the study, the target group population was at a middle
school located in Central Florida. The school is an inner-city, Title I school. The
school has a bilingual center, which provides services for low-income, predominately
Hispanic, Haitian, and African American population. As an instructor for this school, I
taught 4 intensive math classes for at-risk students. Participants in the study were
Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) and Sunshine States Standards (SSS), were
The need for effective teaching was increasing in our math classes. Seventy
five percent of the eight grade students in the school obtained scores ranking below
grade level expectations according to the FCAT and SSS. In our math and reading
classes, I was requested by the principal of the school to use a direct instruction
approach to help at-risk students who struggled with mathematical concepts and
Direct instruction was delivered using the Saxon Math 8/7, Third Edition by Stephen
Hake and John Saxon, an adopted textbook used for intensive math classes. For at-risk
students, I used direct instruction because it provided the learner with an organized,
well-controlled environment in which the individual needs of each student are met.
Moats (1999) stated, “To accommodate children‟s variability, the teacher must assess
children and tailor lessons to individuals. She must interpret errors, give correct
feedback, select examples to illustrate concepts, explain new ideas in several ways,
and connect linguistic symbols with “real” reading and writing” (p.11). This approach
to classroom instruction involved much more than finding and using a collection of
fun activities. Direct Instruction required students to deal with problems of reading one
at a time. Students read vocabulary words, learned the mathematical meaning of the
abilities depend.
According to Lloyd and Keller (1989), when instruction is broken down into
small units from complex tasks, the learning becomes accessible for all students. The
learning becomes more accessible because teachers will tailor lessons to the individual
need of the student. In addition, the learning becomes accessible because the teacher
will be able to interpret errors, give corrective feedback, select examples to illustrate
concepts, and explain new ideas in several ways. Therefore, students will achieve
problem solving because students lack conceptual knowledge. In many cases, students
are familiar with mathematical vocabulary, but may need assistance with the
mathematical process. Likewise, students may not know mathematical strategies and
reading techniques that can be used in solving mathematical word problems. Under
these circumstances, students have a difficult time with the problem solving process
because of the inability to relate and/or transfer relevant knowledge (Borasi, Siegel,
For at-risk students, the ability to comprehend a word problem appears when
the student is not able to make the mathematical connection (Borasi, Siegel, Fonzi and
Smith, 1998). Students deficient in the mathematical content fail at problem solving
because they are not equipped with the necessary tools to learn how to solve word
problems. Hence, students need math strategies and reading techniques. In order for
students to become effective at problem solving, students will need knowledge on the
uses of mathematical strategies to strengthen the understanding of numbers. Educators
must use multiple strategies. Borasi, Siegel, Fonzi and Smith (1998) avowed,
“Because students have such difficulties coping with these texts, research on reading
students the „language of mathematics‟ and ways to interpret word problems” (p. 276).
Educators need to teach students mathematical language skills that include the ability
empower students with reading and mathematics strategies so that they may be able
effective at problem solving. Exposing students to strategies will help them become
effective problem-solver.
Knowing that students have difficulties with problem solving due to learning
barriers, educators will need to take several steps to address their needs. One of those
Educators cannot help students to transfer knowledge just lecturing alone. At risk
students must take an active role in their own learning. To accomplish this, educators
in the field of mathematics need to use lessons that incorporate word problems, in
which students would have the opportunity to explore, question, discuss, and discover
(Chamot & O‟Malley, 1994). Mathematics and reading teachers will need to look at
teaching strategies that may assist at-risk students in their learning process.
Assumptions
1. The students participating in the study will use problem-solving strategies given prior
2. The students will use vocabulary words in mathematical problems that will help them
understand what they are being asked to do in order to solve a mathematical word
problem.
3. The students participating in the study will provide accurate responses to a pre/post
4. The student participating in the study will take a supplemental part of the
mathematics.
5. The students‟ participating in the study were not influenced by my views and
opinions and the data examined in the study was not hindered by my views and thoughts.
Limitations
There were several limitations in this study. The first limitation to the study
was that one student dropped out due to mobility status. Another limitation was that by
the end of the study students‟ maturity level had changed. In addition, the amount of
Terms
Action Research: Research conducted by teachers to gather information and reflect on their own
At-Risk Students: Students who for a variety of factors are likely to drop out of school (Waxman &
Padron, 1997).
Bilingual Education (Bilingual Center): The use of two languages for the purpose of academic
primary language (L1) development; English (L2) acquisition; and subject matter instruction
through (L1) and (L2). Bilingual education programs assist limited-English proficient (LEP)
students in acquiring literacy both in English and primary language development to a level where
they can succeed in an English-only classroom. Programs may also include native speakers of
Direct Instruction: A teaching approach that emphasizes lecture and drilling and is done in a
formal setting where the teacher had control of all decisions (Schweinhart and Weikart, 1988).
Education