BRIDGING NUMERACY GAP: EMPOWERING NON-NUMERATE

THROUGH EMPLOYING VISUAL ABSTRACTION PARADIGM

PHILLIP S. CABRERA

HAIMEN K. BUISAN

STEPHEN FLORES

NORODIN MENTANG

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE

GRADUATE SCHOOL, UNIVERISITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO,
KABACAN, COTABATO IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUBJECT
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

If students can answer problems without memorization and are not

forced to use rote learning, they will grasp the material much more deeply

(Gunnar, et al 2021). Acknowledge that young children need to see a word to

understand it while teaching them to read. If students didn't know what a dog

was or hadn't seen a picture, it would be pointless and abstract to put the

letters d-o-g together (Kacey, et. al 2021). When it comes to numeracy,

people frequently forget that without a tangible resource or accompanying

image, many mathematical concepts can be equally incomprehensible to

students.

Ginsburg, et al (2005) assert that when students can apply the

fundamental ideas of mathematics to solve a wide range of mathematical

problems, they start to understand the potential of the subject. However,

understanding and applying mathematical abstractions is essential for

understanding the mastery level of mathematical concepts, and many

students find abstract mathematics challenging. An instructional presentation

of a subject is shown in the Singapore textbook in three stages: concrete,

visual, and abstract. The approach is similar in purpose to the manipulatives

common in U.S. schools, but Singapore tightly connects its concrete

examples with student learning of mathematical ideas, a frequent weakness

with the U.S. application of manipulatives.

Emma Johnson (2023), stated that student's comprehension of

abstract concepts can be developed through the use of tangible and visual

aids in the Concrete Pictorial Abstract (CPA) method of learning. Math is

abstract, so it can be challenging for kids and adults both. By providing

abstract concepts in a tangible and accessible manner, the CPA approach

expands on what kids already know. Transitioning between tangible objects,

visual depictions, and abstract symbols and issues are all part of it.

In mathematics and daily life, fractions, decimals, percentages, and

comparing numbers are crucial numbers. Unfortunately, because of the

concept's technical and application-specific complexity, many students

struggle to understand it. Undoubtedly, learning will suffer if fractions and

decimals are difficult to understand. On the other hand, the visual model is

very important in understanding abstract mathematical concepts. Thus, the

use of multiple visuals in learning fractions, decimals, and percentages should

be a concern to the teacher, especially on fractions (Baiduri 2020).

Meanwhile, Albin (2019) revealed that learning rational number concepts is

acknowledged as an important task but many learners find it difficult to make

sense of them. The main cause of the difficulty in comprehending higher

mathematical concepts is an inadequate grounding in basic numeracy skills,

followed by the recent global health epidemic, which generated numerous

issues for society, particularly in schooling. Räsänen 2012 and Cohn 2020

highlight that approximately 5-7% of school children struggle with basic

number and calculation skills, which can manifest as poor mathematics

learning.

Despite the challenges that came along, it is of the utmost importance

to address the numeracy gap in mathematics as a priority so that kids have

the skills needed for school and their future application of basic concepts to

higher mathematics learning.

Return to the instructional strategies of the 1960s, when American

psychologist Jerome Bruner put out this strategy to scaffold learning. He

believed that numerous children were confused by the abstract aspect of

learning, which is particularly true in math. Therefore, it needs to be

scaffolded using math manipulatives and effective representations.

Theoretical Framework

The Constructivist Theory proposed by Jerome Bruner underscores the

active construction of knowledge by learners through meaningful interactions

with their environment. This theory aligns with the Concrete Pictorial Abstract

(CPA) Approach, particularly prevalent in mathematics education. The CPA

Approach facilitates a pedagogical progression from concrete manipulatives

to pictorial representations and ultimately to abstract symbols, offering

students a structured pathway to comprehend mathematical concepts.

Bruner's emphasis on scaffolding, discovery learning, and a spiral curriculum

resonates with the principles of the CPA Approach. The integration of these

frameworks in this study establishes a foundation for an instructional

methodology that prioritizes active engagement, gradual abstraction, and the

cultivation of deep understanding in learners (Mcleod, 2023).

In addition, Bruner discovered that students were able to advance

through each level toward a deeper mathematical grasp of the topics being

taught when the CPA technique was integrated into their mathematics

education, resulting in an enhanced level of understanding and

internalization. The CPA approach is divided into three phases wherein

instruction is followed by learning through the practical handling of tangible

items by pupils with an illustration of a tangible manipulation and concludes

with problem-solving techniques indicated in the abstract (Witzell, 2005). In

agreement with Witzel's viewpoint, Cooper (2012) outlines three phases of

learning sequences utilizing the CPA technique, which are as follows: the first

stage involves students engaging in hands-on interaction through the

handling of tangible objects. Working is required in the second step

accompanied by a tangible depiction of the model, typically a picture such as

circles, dots, counting, or geometric shapes. The third stage is abstract,

represented symbolically by the concept of variables, integers, and other

symbols used in mathematics.

 Dependent Variable
Independent Variable
Numeracy Skills on Operations in
Intervention in Numeracy Integers
A. CPA Approach and 1. Addition of Integers (all
Three Learning positive)
Techniques 2. Addition of Integers (with
1. Comparing; negative)
2. Self-explanation; 3. Subtraction of Integers (all
3. Exploration. positive)
4. Subtraction of Integers (with
B. Traditional Teaching negative)
5. Multiplication of Integers (all
positive)
6. Multiplication of Integers (with
negative)
7. Division of Integers (all positive)
8. Division of Integers (with
negative)
Figure: Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 shows a more detailed look at the study’s conceptual model

and highlights variables that will affect the numeracy skills of the students on

operations in integers. The independent and dependent variables are

presented. The first box shows the independent variable. This is the

intervention to enhance the numeracy skills of non-numerate students

through the integration of the CPA Approach accompanied by the three

learning techniques in mathematics and the traditional way of teaching or the

non-treatment group via lesson plan. The second box shows the dependent
variables of the study, which consist of numeracy skills on specific operations

in integers.

Statement of the Problem

1. Who are the non-numerate Grade 7 students?

2. What is the numeracy level of the two groups of Grade 7 students

before the experiment?

3. What is the numeracy level of the two groups of Grade 7 students

after the experiment?

4. Is there a significant difference between the pretest scores of the

experimental group and the control group?

5. Is there a significant difference between the post-test scores of the

experimental group and the control group?

6. Is there a significant difference between the pretest and posttest

scores of the experimental group?

7. Is there a significant difference between the pretest and posttest

scores of the control group?

8. Is there a significant difference between the mean gain scores of

the experimental group and the control group?

Hypothesis

Based on the statement of the problems, the null hypothesis is

formulated to answer the research problems:

 1. There is no significant difference between the pretest scores of the

experimental group and the control group.

2. There is no significant difference between the post-test scores of

the experimental group and the control group.

3. There is no significant difference between the pretest and posttest

scores of the experimental group.

4. There is no significant difference between the pretest and posttest

scores of the control group.

5. There is no significant difference between the mean gain scores of

the experimental group and the control group.

Objectives of the Study

This research seeks to investigate the effectiveness of incorporating

the Concrete Pictorial Abstract Approach in conjunction with three (3) learning

techniques in mathematics to address various components of numeracy. The

primary focus is on narrowing the numeracy gap among specifically identified

non-numerate Grade 7 students:

Specifically, this study aims to target the following objectives:

1. Determine the numeracy level of the students in mathematics by:

a. diagnostics test;

2. Determine the effect of educational learning materials made by the

researcher. Through Pretest and Posttest.

 3. Enhance students' proficiency in Operations in Integers by

implementing meticulously crafted lesson plans and educational

resources ensuring readiness for future mathematics subjects.

Significance of the Study

Students learn mathematical concepts better when they are useful in

their daily lives, and less when they are not. Finding an effective teaching

strategy to help students excel better in mathematics has thus been the holy

grail of math instructors. Thus, mathematical concepts and methods need to

be taught to students, especially establishing the foundation of numeracy

skills. Proficiency in basic numeracy skills is a prerequisite skill to further learn

higher mathematics. Poor numeracy skills lead to barriers in learning

mathematics concepts and acquiring opportunities.

This study aims to determine the effect of employing the CPA approach

while working with the three (3) learning techniques in mathematics to non-

numerate students on operations in integers. This will be an opportunity to

develop young learners to further enhance their numeracy skills as it is a

requirement not just in academics but in other aspects as well. Additionally, it

is hoped that the result of this study will be of great help to:

Teachers. This study could be of great help for the intervention of

young learners with difficulties in learning basic numeracy skills which hinder

the students in absorbing knowledge and understanding concepts of higher

mathematics. The earlier the treatment, the lesser the problem.

Scope and Delimitation

The study emphasizes finding out the outcome of integrating the CPA

approach with the three (3) learning techniques in mathematics in numeracy

skills of non-numerate students by an innovative and developed lesson plan

specially made for operations in integers.

The study will take place in Tantangan Nationa High School,

Tantangan, South Cotabato. The chosen respondents are those students who

scored low and were categorized as non-numerate students in implementing

the diagnostic test.

This study is limited in identifying whether the CPA approach together

with the three (3) learning approaches put into a lesson plan will deliberately

increase the numeracy skill of non-numerate students on operations in

integers.

The focus of the study is to give intervention to students who are

categorized as non-numerate and undergo treatment to enhance their skills in

mathematics through the given approach and techniques in learning.

Definition of Term

To make this study clear and comprehensive, the following terms were

defined:

Non-numerate. Students who lack understanding of the basic

concepts of operations in integers.

Numeracy Skill. Skill in numbers and manipulation of operations in

integers.
 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the related literature and related studies that are

relevant to the integration of bridging the numeracy gap and empowering non-

numerate students. The study also focused on variables in the visual

abstraction paradigm towards learning Mathematics 7.

CPA Approach in Mathematics Education

The CPA approach also known as the Concrete Pictorial Abstract

approach is a teaching method used in Mathematics education. It aims to

help students develop a deeper and more secure understanding of

mathematical concepts and problem-solving. It involves three (3) stages: (a)

concrete, (b) pictorial, and (c) abstract. In the concrete stage, students use

physical objects or manipulatives to represent mathematical concepts, this

hands-on experience allows them to develop a concrete understanding of the

concept. In the pictorial stage, students use visual representations, such as

diagrams or drawings to further explore and understand the mathematical

concept. This stage helps students make connections between concrete and
abstract representations. Finally, in the abstract stage, students work with

symbols and numbers to solve mathematical problems. By this stage,

students have a solid foundation and understanding of the concept allowing

them to apply it in the abstract form.

Research has shown that the CPA approach is effective in improving

students’ attitudes and performance in Mathematics education. It helps

students develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts,

promotes problem-solving skills, and enhances their ability to make

connections between different mathematical ideas.

Learning Techniques in Mathematics

Promoting self-explanation to improve Mathematics learning: A meta-

analysis and instructional design principles – this research explores the

effectiveness of self-explanation in improving Mathematics learning. It

discusses the benefits of prompting self-explanation and provides

instructional design principles for Mathematics educators.

Also, the impact of prompting self-explanation on procedural knowledge,

conceptual knowledge, and procedural flexibility in learning Mathematics. The

study confirms a small to moderate improvement in these areas when self-

explanation is prompted.
 Mathematical creative thinking ability, and students’ self-regulated

learning to use an open-ended approach – this focuses on comparing, self-

explaining, and exploration. It explores the effects on students; creative

thinking skills and self-regulated learning.

Here are some instructional design principles for Mathematics

educators to promote self-explanation in improving mathematics learning: (1)

Scaffold high-quality explanations: Provide support and guidance to students

in generating high-quality explanations. This can be done through training on

self-explanation techniques or by structuring the self-explanation responses

to ensure clarity and coherence. (2) Design effective explanation prompts:

Create prompts that encourage students to engage in self-explanation without

sacrificing attention to other important content. The prompts should be clear,

and relevant, and encourage students to explain thinking and reasoning

processes. (3) Prompt learners to explain connections: Encourage students to

explain the connections between different mathematical concepts and

problem-solving strategies. This helps them to develop a deeper

understanding of the underlying principles and relationships in Mathematics.

(4) Provide feedback and guidance: Offer feedback and guidance to students

as they engage in self-explanation. This can involve clarifying

misconceptions, providing additional examples, or asking probing questions

to stimulate further thinking and reflection. (5) Foster meta-cognitive

awareness: Help students develop meta-cognitive awareness by guiding

them to reflect on their thinking processes and monitor their understanding.

This can involve encouraging students to evaluate the effectiveness of their

explanations and identify areas for improvement.

These instructional design principles aim to support students in

developing their self-explanation skills, which can enhance their

understanding and retention of mathematical concepts. Educators need to

create a supportive and engaging learning environment that encourages

students to actively engage in self-explanation.

Collaborative Discussion

Students can contribute significantly to the development of high-

quality explanations in Mathematics learning in the following ways: (1)

Sharing different perspectives: Collaborative discussions provide an

opportunity for students to share their unique perspectives and approaches to

problem-solving. By listening and learning from their peers, students gain

exposure to different strategies and ways of thinking about mathematical

concepts. This exposure can broaden their understanding and help them

develop more comprehensive and nuanced explanations. (2) Peer feedback

and evaluation: During collaborative discussions, students can provide

feedback on their peer’s explanations. This feedback allows students to

critically evaluate and reflect on their understanding and the quality of their

explanation. By receiving input from their peers, students can identify areas

for improvement and refine their explanations accordingly. (3) Clarifying

misunderstandings: This process helps identify and address any

misconceptions or gaps in understanding. By engaging in dialogue and

receiving feedback, students can refine their explanations and develop a

deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. (4) Promoting

metacognition: This promotes metacognition, as students reflect on their

understanding and make their thought processes explicit. Through this

process, students become more aware of their thinking and can refine their

explanations to be more coherent and precise. (5) Building communication

skills: Learning Mathematics provides students with opportunities to practice

and refine their communication skills. By explaining their thinking, listening to

others, and engaging and respectful dialogue, students develop their ability to

express mathematical ideas clearly and effectively. (6) Fostering a learning

environment: This process creates a supportive and inclusive learning

environment where students feel comfortable expressing their ideas and

engaging in academic discourse. This environment encourages active

participation, risk-taking, and the development of a growth mindset. Students

feel more motivated to contribute their ideas and engage in high-quality

explanations.

Overall, collaborative discussions among students foster a sense of

community, promote active engagement, and enhance the quality of

explanations in Mathematics learning. By leveraging the collective knowledge

and perspective of the group, students develop a deeper understanding of

mathematical concepts and refine their explanations.

Mathematical Knowledge in (a) Conceptual, (b) Procedural, and

(c) Procedural Flexibility

Several methods can be used to improve conceptual knowledge,

procedural knowledge, and procedural flexibility: (a) Integrated instruction,

involves explicitly connecting the underlying concepts, and procedures, and

highlighting the relationships between them all. Students can develop a

deeper understanding of the concepts and apply them more effectively. (b)

Concrete representation, uses concrete manipulatives, visual models, and

real-world examples to represent mathematical concepts. Students develop a

concrete understanding of abstract concepts and make connections between

the concrete and abstract levels of understanding. (c) The problem-solving

approach encourages students to think critically, analyze problems, and

select appropriate strategies to solve them and it promotes the integration of

conceptual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and procedural flexibility in

real-world contexts. (d) Metacognition reflection involves self-assessment and

group discussions. By reflecting on their learning, students become more

aware of their strengths and weaknesses. (e) Multiple representations,

present mathematical concepts and problems using multiple representations,

such as visual models, diagrams, graphs, and symbolic notation. This allows
students to see different ways of representing the same concept and helps

them to develop a more flexible understanding of learning Mathematics. (f)

Cooperative learning encourages to work together in groups, discuss

concepts, solve problems, and explain their thinking to their peers. Also,

promotes the exchange of ideas, peer feedback, and the integration of

multiple perspectives. (g) Scaffolding and guided practice support students in

developing conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and procedural

flexibility and allow them to practice and apply their understanding

independently. (h) Real-world connection, helps students to see the relevance

and practicality of Mathematics, enhancing their motivation and engagement

in learning.

Bridging Numeracy Gaps

A necessary skill for daily living is numeracy. Math literacy is the ability

to comprehend and integrate mathematical concepts, terminology, facts, and

skills by the demands of real-world scenarios. Nevertheless, research

indicates that math difficulties are a global problem for students, necessitating

the development of strategies to address math and numeracy issues and

close the gaps in learners' numeracy (Stacy et al., 2017; Morrison and

McLafferty, 2018). According to reports, Philippine students performed among

the lowest of all participating countries in the 2018 Programme for

International Student Assessment (PISA) in the local context. Less than 20%

of children met the minimal competency level (Level 2) in mathematics on the

PISA exam, while more than 50% demonstrated incredibly low performance

(below Level 1) (Bernardo et al., 2022). In reality, out of 79 participating

countries worldwide, the Programme for International Student Assessment

(PISA) 2018 results showed that the Philippines ranked second overall

lowest. This only suggests that math proficiency among Filipino pupils is

incredibly low. In addition, students' persistent underperformance in

mathematics may be explained by their attitude toward the subject, their poor

study habits, or their overuse of technology. On the other hand, to stop the

persistently low performance, the Philippine Department of Education has

been making several interventions to raise the mathematical literacy of

Filipino students who are unable to understand mathematical ideas.

As a result, the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) has

launched several programs to raise the level of mathematical literacy among

Filipino students who struggle to understand mathematical ideas. Order 55 s.

DepEd. Every student must meet the early language, literacy, and numeracy

criteria, according to the 2016 Policy Guidelines on the National Assessment

of the Student Learning for the K–12 Basic Education Program (Elopre and

Baggay, 2022).

A lot of learners are suffering from being non-numerates because it is

the foundation where the knowledge must be stable and progressing. It was

supported by Eddy (2010) that the potential development of the mind is

something to be achieved with the aid of the teacher's knowledge.

Visual Abstraction

A key step in mathematical thinking is abstraction. Several research

investigations have been conducted in an attempt to identify a final procedure

for mathematical abstraction and to provide appropriate techniques for it.

Nevertheless, no theoretical solution has been established to address the

question of what kinds of information are required.

Mental associations are made between mathematical concepts and

processes when we discuss or think about them. These impressions are

models of the thing or idea. As a result, performance in mathematics is

increased when concepts have rich representations that contain a multitude

of connected images. One can declare that a learner has advanced

mathematical thinking if they can consciously abstract from mathematical

cases. In the mind, abstraction is a suitable creation process that entails

defining the connections between mathematical things and transforming

those connections into precise expressions that stand alone from the

mathematical objects. Students can actively participate in abstraction when

given appropriate visual aids. Students can develop mental models and

deductions with the use of these kinds of pictures (Tall, 1991).

In mathematics, abstract concepts are described and objectified from

real-world examples. Most explanations in this subject are based on visual

cues and are considered meaningful based on personal experience (Bishop,

1989). According to Fischbein (1987), visualization plays a crucial role in the

understanding and assessment of mathematics. It pushes these mental

processes forward and serves as a valuable tool for organizing data into

meaningful frameworks and directing the analytical development of solutions.

As the problem-solving process moved from concrete to abstract

cognition, visualization played a critical part in helping people learn

mathematics and develop their mental processes. A study that examined the

advantages of using visualization in the solution of mathematical problems.

Visualization was also mentioned as one of the key elements that led to the

goal of mathematics education in the New Brunswick Mathematics Grade 8

Curriculum Guide (2011). Broadly speaking, imagery and its relationship have

been the subject of some studies.

The teaching of mathematics is generally seen to benefit greatly from

visualization. The importance of imagery in the growth of inductive, deductive,

and proportional thinking was highlighted by Ben-Chaim, Lapan, and Houang

(1989). As per the authors' assertion, imagery plays a pivotal role in

numerous procedures and is needed for accomplishing the shift in thought

from concrete to abstract. Wheatly (1991) deduced that accessing

mathematical information requires visuals based on processes. Visualization

has the benefit of helping people enhance their capacity for multidimensional

thought. By viewing events from many angles, people can increase their

ability for group conversation and idea sharing.

 Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

Quasi-Experimental

In this scholarly investigation, scholars intend to employ the quasi-

experimental research methodology, specifically the pretest-posttest design

with non-equivalent groups. The primary objective is to ascertain the impact of

the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstraction Approach with the 3 different mathematical

learning techniques on students’ learning. This approach is chosen as a

strategic instrument to enhance the academic performance of Grade 7

students. The table below served as a guiding principle in the research design

(Campbell and Stanley, 1966)

Pretest Posttest

G1 (experimental) 01 x 02

G2 (control) 03 -x 04

Figure: Quasi-experimental; Non-equivalent Group Design

 The following symbols were represented by labels; G1 refers to the

experimental group, and G2 refers to the control group. 01 refers to the

pretest scores of the experiment group, 02 refers to the posttest scores of the

experimental group, 03 refers to the pretest of the control group, 04 refers to

the posttest scores of the control group, x refers to the use of the visual

abstraction paradigm with the three (3) learning techniques that enhances

mathematical knowledge, and -x refers to the absence of any treatment the

researchers want to test to the students or the traditional instruction.

Respondents of the Study

The study participants will consist of two (2) sections of non-numerate

Grade 7 students in Tantangan National High School, Poblacion, Tantangan,

South Cotabato for the school year 2023 – 2024.

The sampling will be done as follows: out of five (5) sections of the

Grade 7 curriculum, two (2) sections will be disregarded which are the

Science and Technology and Engineering (STE) Section and Special Program

in the Arts (SPA) for the reason of its homogeneity and concerning the

intelligence of the students, out of five (5) sections only two (2) sections will

be selected as the respondents of for this research, theses sections will be

the Anthurium and Anemone. These two sections will undergo diagnostic tests

to determine the number of non-numerate students who will experience

treatments. The Grade 7 – Anthurium, the experimental group, with an equal

number of non-numerate students to Anemone will be exposed to the

Concrete-Pictorial-Abstraction Approach with learning techniques in

mathematics while the Grade 7 – Anemone will conduct lessons traditionally

without treatment, which is the control group.

Respondents’ Selection

In this study, respondents will be selected by conducting forty (40)

items of diagnostic tests. All Grade 7 students of sections Anthurium and

Anemone will take the test and will be categorized from numerate to non-

numerate students. The scores of the students will be categorized into three

(3) groups, with description and meaning, making those students who scored

below 13 to be labeled as non-numerate students. The table below shows

how the scores of the students will be identified and grouped into two (2)

categories:

Range Description Meaning

27 – 40 Excellent/Advance Demonstrates a deep

understanding and

application of operations

on integers.

14 – 26 Average/Developing Shows some

understanding and

application of operations

in integers.

0 – 13 Needs Limited understanding

 Improvement/Beginning struggles with the

(NON-NUMERATE) application of operations

in integers. Needs

significant support and

intervention to progress.

Table: Diagnostic Scores Criteria Identification

Consent of the Respondents

Before conducting the study, each group of participants is given a letter

(consent to conduct study/part of the experiment) signed by the Division of

South Cotabato Public Schools Division Superintendent and the dissertation

adviser, which states that they are chosen to participate. All the documents

are kept confidential to protect and preserve the identity of the participant. No

money was given to the participants to pay for their time; hence they will be

given tokens as a sign of appreciation.

Locale of the Study

The study will be conducted at Tantangan National High School,

located at Rizal Avenue, Barangay Poblacion, Tantangan, South Cotabato.

The school offers Junior High School and Senior High School, with Junior

High School as the chosen level where the experiment is to be conducted,

specifically the Grade 7 sections Anthurium and Anemone.

The school was located a few meters at the back of Tantangan Central

Elementary School. The land was donated and has an area of 18,096 square

meters. The school started its first operation in June 1991. No, vast
developments and improvements of infrastructure and improvements are

occurring since new curriculums and innovations are implemented.

Respondents’ Selection

Participants will be chosen by administering a diagnostic test, aiming to

identify non-numerate individuals within the current population of Grade 7

students of sections Anthurium and Anemone, based on their performance

scores on the administered test.

Experimental Group

This group, Grade 7 Anthurium, which will consist of the non-numerate

students that undergone diagnostic tests, will be instructed in an intervention

manner through the crafted lesson plan with employed CPA approach and the

learning techniques in mathematics in facilitating operations in integers. There

will be eight lesson plans for this intervention:

1. Addition of Integers (all positive)

2. Addition of Integers (with negative)

3. Subtraction of Integers (all positive)

4. Subtraction of Integers (with negative)

5. Multiplication of Integers (all positive)

6. Multiplication of Integers (with negative)

7. Division of Integers (all positive)

8. Division of Integers (with negative).

The intervention with integration of the approach and learning techniques for

this group is half teacher-centered and half student-centered.

Control Group

This group, the Grade 7 Anemone, will consist of non-numerate

students as per the result of the diagnostic test. This group will conduct the

intervention with a plain lesson plan without treatment. The teaching method

to be used in this group is teacher-centered.

Data Gathering Instrument

This will use a diagnostic test, crafted lesson plan, pretest, and

posttest will be used in this study.

Diagnostic test. Is a pre-evaluation used to determine the extent of a

student’s knowledge and to identify any potential learning gaps (Bordia,

2022). In this study, this test is crafted based on the operations of integers

composed of forty (40) items, ten (10) each operation with mixed signs of

integers, this tool is utilized to categorize Grade 7 students in section

Anthurium and Anemone from numerate to non-numerate students. The

following scale will describe the proficiency of the respondent and categorize

non-numerated students.

Range Description Meaning

27 – 40 Excellent/Advance Demonstrates a deep

 understanding and

application of operations

on integers.

14 – 26 Average/Developing Shows some

understanding and

application of operations

in integers.

0 – 13 Needs Limited understanding

Improvement/Beginning struggles with the

(NON-NUMERATE) application of operations

in integers. Needs

significant support and

intervention to progress.

Lesson Plan. During the intervention, the crafted lesson plans of

researchers will serve as guides on how teachers will introduce and deliver

instructions through the CPA Approach with learning techniques in

mathematics to the non-numerate Grade 7 students of section Anthurium,

which is the experimental group. Typical with no treatment lesson plan will be

used for non-numerate Grade 7 students of section Anemone, as the control

group. The lesson plan crafted and developed by the researchers is

composed of 8 topics on operation in integers:

1. Addition of Integers (all positive)

 2. Addition of Integers (with negative)

3. Subtraction of Integers (all positive)

4. Subtraction of Integers (with negative)

5. Multiplication of Integers (all positive)

6. Multiplication of Integers (with negative)

7. Division of Integers (all positive)

8. Division of Integers (with negative).

These lesson plans will undergo thorough checking and critiquing.

Achievement Test. The achievement test consists of a pretest and a

posttest. Establishing the significant numeracy skill that needs to improve, the

test was constructed consisting of one-hundred and eight (108) items, with a

perfect score of two-hundred and eight (208) following the topics on

operations in integers:

1. Addition of Integers (all positive)

2. Addition of Integers (with negative)

3. Subtraction of Integers (all positive)

4. Subtraction of Integers (with negative)

5. Multiplication of Integers (all positive)

6. Multiplication of Integers (with negative)

7. Division of Integers (all positive)

8. Division of Integers (with negative)

The test is an objective type of test, which is composed of three (3) effective

learning techniques in answering the test; exploration, comparing, and self-

explanation. The test is personally made by the researchers and will undergo

validation and reliability tests, critiquing of experts on the field and the school

head. The test questionnaires are parallel to lesson plans. The test for the

control group is the same as with the experimental but with no treatment.

The following scale is based on Ebel’s criteria for describing

proficiency. This will be used to describe the performance level of the student.

Range Description Quantitative Description

86% - 100% Very Good Above 178

71% - 85% Good 147 – 177

40% - 70% Fair 80 – 146

15% - 39% Poor 30 – 79

1% - 14% Very Poor Below 29

Table: Ebel’s Criteria

Data Gathering Procedure

Preparation of the Request to Conduct the Study. A permit to conduct

the study will be secured from the office of USM-GS. Moreover, the license

with the adviser’s consent will be presented to the Schools Division

Superintendent of the South Cotabato Division to ask permission to conduct

the study. Hence, this communication will serve as information to the school
head, teachers, and students in the conduct of the study as per approval of

the Schools Division Superintendent of the Division of South Cotabato.

First, researchers crafted, developed, and innovated lesson plans,

tests, and tools for the intervention based on the approach, then presented it

to the adviser for content and face validity.

Respondent selection will be done through a diagnostic test, the

scores will categorize the two chosen sections into two groups: numerate and

non-numerate. Each section will have one (1) group of non-numerate

students based on their gained scores during the diagnostic test. Data

assortment will be done based on the result of a diagnostic test.

Before intervention will proceed, these two (2) identified groups will

take the pretest, this will measure their prior knowledge and will serve as a

baseline score for this study. These two (2) groups of identified non-numerate

students will undergo an intervention, one group (experimental) will undergo

specialized lesson plans, tools, and activities that seek to enhance basic

numeracy skills, the other hand, the control group, will also go to an

intervention to enhance numeracy skills but with no treatment like the other

group.

After the completion of the intervention, the respondents will take the

posttest. In this study, these methods will answer the questions:

1. Who are the non-numerate students?

2. Is there a significant difference between the pretest scores of the

experimental group and the control group?

3. Is there a significant difference between the post-test scores of the

experimental group and the control group?

4. Is there a significant difference between the pretest and posttest

scores of the experimental group?

5. Is there a significant difference between the pretest and posttest

scores of the control group?

6. Is there a significant difference between the mean gain scores of

the experimental group and the control group?

 The following will describe the flow of events of the experimental and control

groups:

Students

Experimental Group Pretest Control Group

CPA Approach with Learning CPA Approach with Learning

Techniques in Mathematics on Techniques in Mathematics on
Operations in Integers Operations in Integers
9. Addition of Integers (all positive) 17. Addition of Integers (all positive)
10. Addition of Integers (with negative) 18. Addition of Integers (with negative)
11. Subtraction of Integers (all 19. Subtraction of Integers (all
positive) positive)
12. Subtraction of Integers (with 20. Subtraction of Integers (with
negative) negative)
13. Multiplication of Integers (all 21. Multiplication of Integers (all
positive) positive)
14. Multiplication of Integers (with 22. Multiplication of Integers (with
negative) negative)
15. Division of Integers (all positive) 23. Division of Integers (all positive)
16. Division of Integers (with negative). 24. Division of Integers (with negative).
 Posttest

Figure: Flow Chart

Reliability and Validity

To guarantee reliability and validity, this study is guided by the

concepts of Middleton (2019) on content and face validity. Content validity

evaluates a measurement tool and what it claims to measure. Nevertheless,

Middleton (2019) indicated that to produce valid results, the content of the

instruments must cover all relevant parts that the objectives of the study are

to measure. Thus, the tools were carefully developed based on the

appropriate existing goals.

Face validity considers how suitable the instrument’s content seems to

be on the surface (Middleton, 2019). If the formulated tools show a good

representation of what they sought, it is considered to face validity.

Statistical Treatment

Statistical Tools of Analysis

The following tools will be utilized to answer SOPs 1 to 7 at a .05 level

of significance. The energy level means we can only tolerate a 5% probability

of committing a mistake in rejecting a true null hypothesis.

Means

The means as a central tendency was used to calculate the proficiency

of non-numerate students in diagnostic, and achievement tests administered.

P-value

The rejection of the null hypothesis was based on the p values which

were generated through a statistical application. P value is the probability of

obtaining a test statistic result at least as extreme as the one that was

observed, assuming that the null hypothesis is true. The researcher will often

"reject the null hypothesis" when the p-value turns out to be less than the

predetermined significance level. Such a result indicates that the observed

result would be highly unlikely under the null hypothesis. Many common

statistical tests, such as chi-squared tests or student's t-test produce test

statistics that can be interpreted using p-values. In a statistical test, sample

results are compared to possible population conditions by way of two

competing hypotheses: the null hypothesis is a neutral or "uninteresting"

statement about a population, such as "no change" in the value of a

parameter from a previous known value or "no difference" between two

groups; the other, the alternative (or research) hypothesis is the "interesting"

statement that the person performing the test would like to conclude if the

data will allow it. The p-value is the probability of obtaining the observed

sample results (or a more extreme result) when the null hypothesis is true. If

this p-value is very small, it is usually less than or equal to a threshold value
previously chosen called the significance level (traditionally 5% or 1%),

suggesting that the observed data is inconsistent with the assumption that the

null hypothesis is true and must be rejected and the other hypothesis is

accepted as true. An informal interpretation of a p-value, based on a

significance level of about 10%:

very strong presumption against the null hypothesis

strong presumption against the null hypothesis

low presumption against the null hypothesis

no presumption against the null hypothesis

APPENDICES
 Appendix A

DIAGNOSTIC TEST
 Reference

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