APPROACHES

IN TEACHING
MATHEMATICS
1. DISCOVERY APPROACH
• The discovery approach is a method
of teaching or presenting a
mathematical concept in such a way
that it gives meaning to the learner.
The learner discovers the ideas and
concepts through his/her reactions
and active participation in challenging
class situations, the learner finds clear
meaning using his/her individual
experiences, interest and imagination.
Here are the main steps
in the discovery approach:

a. Observe and discuss items or data to be used

in developing the concept.
Example:

What do you observe in this series of numbers?

b. Identify common features for use in grouping
the data, noting the distinguishing differences.
Example:

How are they alike? How are they different?

Here are the main steps
in the discovery approach:
c. Decide on a basis for grouping them
Example:

How can the objects or numbers be grouped?Why?

d. Label, name or define each group
Example:

What could be a good name for each group?

e. Have the pupils use the term and find new examples
Example:
What other examples can you give for this kind of
materials?
Here are some guidelines in the
implementation of discovery
approach in your class:
a. Plan ahead. Advance and careful planning
is a very important ingredient of success in every
endeavor. This gives you time to examine,
reflect, and refine your role and that of the
learners before you begin.
b. Incorporate. Whenever appropriate, use
this approach with other teaching strategies
such as demonstration and discussion. This is an
important part of your careful planning
Here are some guidelines in the
implementation of discovery
approach in your class:

c. Motivate and aim for success. Plan a

short, simple problem or scenario, preferably
one that is familiar or relevant to the learners’
experiences, to increase their chance of success
especially when using this approach for the first
time. Some of them who may not be successful
at the start might get discourage and be
unwilling to try this approach again.
Here are some guidelines in the
implementation of discovery
approach in your class:

d. Be supportive. Encourage and help the

learners when they encounter difficulty. It is
very important that the learners feel
comfortable and fully aware that the teacher is
there to assist and guide them through the
learning process.
 Here are some guidelines in the
implementation of discovery
approach in your class:

e. Encourage sharing. At the end of your lesson, allot

time for your learners to share with you or with their
classmates their discoveries, outputs (if there is any),
answers, or even their feelings when doing the activity.
Remember that you or their peers have to acknowledge
or recognize their accomplishments. This will motivate
them to further be involved the next time you use this
approach. This will also give you an opportunity to
address or correct whatever negative feelings or
insecurities the learners have this kind of method.
2. PRACTICAL WORK
APPROACH (PWA)
• The practical work approach (PWA) is a
strategy in which the learners manipulate
concrete objects and/or perform activities
to arrive at a conceptual understanding of
phenomena, situation or concept.
Practical work is not actually only
confirmed to the classroom or the
laboratory. Hands-on activities can
actually be done even out of the confines
of the regular classroom.
• They may be done in the garden, in
the yard, in the field, in the school
grounds, or just about anywhere as
long as the safety of the learners is
assured. This is so because there are
times when the materials that are
needed for practical work cannot be
brought to where the materials and
the situation can actually be observed
by the learners.
• In preparing materials for individual
or group work, the learners’
motivation or stimulation of interest
and curiosity in the activity should be
considered. This can be addressed by
(a) Introducing the activity with an
interesting puzzle or question
(b) Showing how the activity relates to
the learners’ world and experience
(c) Discussing practical issues at the
interface of science and society
LEVELS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
PRACTICAL WORK
Level Level of Implementation

1  Teacher uses classroom

demonstration to help develop
concepts

 Teacher uses specimens found in

the local environment
LEVELS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
PRACTICAL WORK
Level Level of Implementation

2  Teacher uses demonstrations to promote a

limited form of inquiry
 Some learners assist in planning and
performing demonstrations
 Learners participate in closed (cookbook)
practical work
 Learners communicate data using graphs
and tables
LEVELS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
PRACTICAL WORK
Level Level of Implementation

3  Teacher designs practical work in such a

way as to encourage learners’ discovery of
information
 Learners perform ‘guided discovery’ type of
practical work in small groups, engaging in
hands-on activities
 Learners can write scientific reports in
which they support and justify their
conclusions in terms of data collected
LEVELS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF
PRACTICAL WORK
Level Level of Implementation

4  Learners design and perform their own

‘’open’’ investigation.
 Learners reflect on the quality of the design
and the collected data to make improvements
 Learners can interpret data in support of
competing theories or explanations
 THANK
YOU.

Elsa A. Zamora