Mathematical thinking of grade II pupils: A case analysis

• Main Author: Salangsang, Lily G.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2003
• Subjects: Mathematical ability; Mathematical ability—Testing; Mathematics—Study and teaching; Elementary Education; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/27; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=etd_doctoral
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study explored the mathematical thinking of Filipino Grade II pupils within the tenets of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI). It attempted to determine what types of problem in arithmetic they are able to solve, and it described what solution strategies and algorithms they are able to construct and invent on their own. Ten Grade II pupils enrolled at a Montessori type of school system were given problems to work on to probe their mathematical thinking these arithmetic problems were categorized into join, separte, compare, part-part-whole, multiplication, measurement division, and partitive division following CGI's categorizations. Data were gathered through problem solving sheets and interviews conducted. Results showed that second grade pupils were capable of solving story problems written in English and did much better when the problems were translated in Tagalog, their home language. In solving the problems, they employed strategies like the use of number facts and algorithms in addition and subtraction, modeling strategies like joining the elements of two sets, removing the elements from a set, matching the elements of two sets, and distributing and partitioning the elements of a set. They were able to solve multiplication and division problems prior to receiving formal instructions of these operations. Results also showed that they used techniques in counting such as counting on, counting on to, counting down, counting down to following Carpenter, Fennema, and Franke's classification of counting strategies. Skip counting and repeated addition were also observed in the solution strategies for multiplication problems. Because they were free to employ solution strategies of their own choice, invented algorithms and creativity came out from their works. The study presents relevant implications for improving problem solving skills of pupils and the teaching of mathematics particularly in the elementary level.