Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Education aims to lead young

Filipinos in the discovery of their own potential and

enabling them to create their own destiny to the global

community. To achieve this vision, the DepEd reaches out

responsive efforts for the students’ educational and

worthwhile needs. One way to determine the students’

capacity of learning is the conduct of National Achievement

Test.

The National Achievement Test (NAT) is administered by

the Department of Education through the National Educational

Testing and Research Center (NETRC) which heads on research

and assessment of the education provided for our youth,

specifically in the Basic Education. The examination is

designed to determine the students’ academic strengths and

weaknesses through the five key-major

subjects: Mathematics, Science, English, Filipino,

HeKaSi(Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika)

in elementary and Araling Panlipunan in high school. Ratings

obtained from NAT for Grade VI and Fourth Year would served

also as a tool to measure the school’s competency and

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effectiveness as well as the students’ aptitude and mastery

towards the basic learning areas.

As stipulated in DepEd Order No. 28, s. 2011 and DepEd

Memorandum No. 266, s. 2011, the National Achievement

Test was originally designed and administered for Grade Six

and Fourth Year Students instead of the sophomores. The

seniors shall take the National Achievement Test in the

absence of the National Career Assessment Exam which will be

administered now for the juniors.

These tests determine the mastery of the examinee in

the subjects like; Filipino, Mathematics, Science, English,

Filipino and HEKASI/Araling Panlipunan. The tests may

include: Analysis, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension,

Problem Solving, General Knowledge and other skills. The

coverage is mostly the combination of the shallowest and the

deepest among the lessons from First Year to Fourth

Year/Grade 4 to Grade 6 and a good and efficient review

still matters to be addressed. The Critical Thinking Test

is more of analysis and reasoning within the given

situation. Some are really easy to answer while some items

are really tricky. Student should analyze the

situation/question given in the item and choose the answer

given in the selection only. This does not only test the

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general knowledge but on how to analyze, reasoning, logic

and critical thinking ability.

Based on National Achievement Test (NAT, 2008) results,

the performance of pupils is far below the expected goal of

DepEd to attain Mastery Level in all subject areas

particularly in the area of Mathematics. Specifically, the

NAT results showed the minimal improvement even

interventions have been done to improve their performance.

The researcher believes that further improvement on this

area should be done so that higher NAT performance in

Mathematics shall be achieved in the near future. Thus,

this study was conducted to determine factors that

contribute to the performance of Grade 6 pupils in

Mathematics so that certain measures shall be implemented.

This way, learners may be given more attention and

motivation to enhance their academic performance for the

achievement of the vision, mission and objectives of the

Department of Education.

Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored to the statement of Campbell,

et al. (2000), Epstein, (1991), Fennema & Sherman, (1976,

1986) and Fluty, (1997) when they mentioned that a growing

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body of research provides additional factors which could

have an impact on pupils’ achievement such as gender, family

structure, parents’ educational level, socio-economic

status, parent and student attitudes toward school,

and parent involvement.

Likewise, there were studies stated that teachers have

contribution to the teaching of Mathematics. For instance,

Brophy (1990) reported that what teachers know and believe

about Mathematics is directly connected to their

instructional choices and procedures. Also, Wilson (1990)

reported that in Mathematics education research, the

teacher's philosophy of mathematics has a significant

influence on the structure of Mathematics classes. The

teachers need to have skills and knowledge to apply their

philosophy of teaching and instructional decisions.

Rasmussen & Marrongelle (2006) emphasized the quality

of teaching and learning in Mathematics. They believed that

new instructional design techniques are needed to produce

individuals who can understand and apply fundamental

Mathematic concepts. Furthermore, they said that a central

and persisting issue is how to provide instructional

environments, conditions, methods, and solutions that

achieve learning goals for students with different skills

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and ability levels. There is a need to have innovative

instructional approaches and techniques to develop to ensure

that students become successful learners.

Conceptual Framework

The concepts that govern in this study were based on

the study of Urquiza (2014) which include the performance of

students in Mathematics as the dependent and independent

variables include personal profile such as: gender, economic

status, study habit, attitude towards Mathematics and

technological influence; and the teachers profile such as

gender, educational qualifications, length of service,

seminars and trainings attended, and styles and strategies

in teaching Mathematics.

Schools of Valladolid District of

Negros Occidental:

School ASchool BSchool CSchool DSchool ESchool FSchool GSchool H

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Figure 1 shows the paradigm of the study showing the

different concepts and their relationship.

Figure 1. A Conceptual Framework of the Study.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the level of National

Achievement Test (NAT) performance of Grade 6 pupils in

Mathematics in the District of Valladolid, Division of

Negros Occidental from School Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014.

National Achievement

TestPerformance of Grade 6 Pupils

in Mathematics

S.Y. 2011-2012S.Y. 2012-2013S.Y. 2013-2014

Pupils’ Profile Gender Economic Status Study Habit Attitude Towards Math

Technological Gadgets

Teachers’ Profile: Gender Educational Qualifications

Length of Service Seminars and Trainings Attended

Styles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics

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Specifically, this study sought to answer the following

specific questions:

1. What is the profile of grade 6 pupils when grouped

according to gender, economic status, study habit,

attitude towards Mathematics and technological gadgets in

the District of Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental

from School Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014?

2. What is the profile of grade 6 Math teachers when grouped

according to gender, educational qualifications, length

of service, seminars and trainings attended, and styles

and strategies in teaching Mathematics in the District of

Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental from School

Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014?

3. What is the level of the National Achievement Test

performance of Grade 6 pupils as a whole and when they

are grouped according to pupil’s profile such as gender,

economic status, study habit, attitude towards

Mathematics and technological gadgets, and teachers’

profile such as gender, educational qualifications,

length of service, seminars and trainings attended, and

styles and strategies in teaching Mathematics in the

District of Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental

from School Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014?

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4. What is the level of the National Achievement Test

performance of Grade 6 pupils in Mathematics from School

Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014 when grouped by school in the

District of Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental?

5. Is there a significant relationship between the profile

of grade 6 pupils when grouped according to gender,

economic status, study habit and attitude towards

Mathematics and the level of their National Achievement

Test performance in the District of Valladolid, Division

of Negros Occidental from School Year 2011-2012 to 2013-

2014?

6. Is there a significant relationship between the profile

of grade 6 Math teachers when grouped according to

gender, educational qualifications, length of service and

seminars and trainings attended and the level of National

Achievement Test performance of Grade 6 pupils in the

District of Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental

from School Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014?

7. Is there a significant difference between the National

Achievement Test performance among eight schools (8) in

the District of Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental

as a whole and when they grouped by School Year 2011-2012

to 2013-2014?

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Hypotheses of the Study

Based from the statement of the problem the following

hypotheses were formulated:

1. There is no significant relationship between the profile

of grade 6 pupils when grouped according to gender,

economic status, study habit and attitude towards

Mathematics and the National Achievement Test performance

in the District of Valladolid, Division of Negros

Occidental from School Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014?

2. There is no significant relationship between the profile

of grade 6 teachers when grouped according to gender,

educational qualifications, length of service and

seminars and trainings attended and the National

Achievement Test performance in the District of

Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental from School

Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014?

3. There is no significant difference between the National

Achievement Test performance among the eight schools (8)

in the District of Valladolid, Division of Negros

Occidental as a whole and when they grouped by School

Year 2011-2012 to 2013-2014?

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Significance of the Study

Aside from the yearly evaluation of DepEd National

Achievement Test performance of pupils in Mathematics, the

results of this study would be of great help to the

following:

School Administrators. The findings of this study

would guide the administrators and their educational

planners in adopting policies and program that would help

boost the result of National Achievement Test performance of

Grade 6 pupils in the District of Valladolid, Division of

Negros Occidental.

Education Program Supervisors. The findings of the

study would help establish additional programs and

activities that would improve the review classes and

instructional materials of Mathematics teachers.

Guidance Counselors. The result may help the guidance

counselors introduce new practices and programs to improve

the positive attitude of students in learning Mathematics in

order to achieve desired results in the National Achievement

Test performance.

Mathematics Teachers. The teachers would be benefited

from this study because they can improve their management

and instruction particularly their teaching styles and

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strategies in giving emphasis on the increase of National

Achievement Test (NAT) performance of Grade 6 pupils. It

will also aid teachers in establishing better rapport with

pupils’ better performance, love and appreciation in

Mathematics

Parents. The parents would benefit from this study,

since parents will be aware of the problems of their

children and the effects of these on their academic

performance, they can start to exert an extra effort to talk

to their children and help them in their studies in order to

achieve higher academic performance. It would also help

parents to become aware of their responsibility not only on

the financial aspect but as well as on the moral aspect.

Pupils. The Grade 5 pupils would be given benefit

through this study, the pupils will be given appropriate and

enough attention and motivation in the academe. Awareness of

self, including one's weaknesses, can lead to self-

improvement. Such awareness enables one to identify the

cause(s) of maladjusted behaviors for the attainment of

mastery level of performance in Mathematics.

Future Researchers. This study would serve as a basis

for future researchers to undergo similar studies to

increase the performance of Grade 6 pupils in Mathematics.

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Scope and Limitation

This study deals on the level National Achievement Test

(NAT) performance of Grade 6 Pupils in Mathematics in the

District of Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental for

S.Y. 2011-2011-2012, S.Y. 2012 – 2013 and S.Y. 2013 – 2014.

It included independent variables for pupils’ profile such

as: gender, economic status, study habit, attitude towards

Mathematics and technological gadgets and teachers’ profile

such as: gender, and styles and strategies in teaching

Mathematics.

This study covers eight (8) elementary schools in the

District of Valladolid, Division of Negros Occidental such

as: Alijis Elementary School (School A), Ayungon Elementary

School (School B), Batuan Elementary (School C), Emelio

Infante Elementary School (School D), Pacol Elementary

School (School E), Palacios Elementary School (School F),

Tabao Elementary School (School G), and Valladolid

Elementary School (School H). There were six hundred eighty

six (686) total enrollment of Grade 6 pupils that comprised

of thirty (35) sections.

The study was limited only to Grade 6 pupils from the

thirty five (35) sections with two hundred fifty three (253)

sample-respondents and eleven (11) Mathematics teachers.

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In the analysis and interpretation of data, the

statistical tools used were: frequency and percent

distribution, weighted mean, chi-squared test and F test.

Definition of Terms

The terms used in the study were defined both

conceptually and operationally:

Attitude Towards Mathematics. Conceptually, the term

refers to the attitudes that can be seen as more or less

positive. A positive attitude towards mathematics reflects a

positive emotional disposition in relation to the subject

and, in a similar way, a negative attitude towards

mathematics relates to a negative emotional disposition (R.

Zan and P. Martino, 2008). Operationally, the term refers to

the range of attitude displayed by pupils such as: Strongly

Agree, Agree, Undecided, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree

(International Association for the Evaluation of Educational

Achievement, 2007).

Economic Status. Conceptually, the term refers to

wages, salaries, profits, rents, and any flow of earnings

received. It is dependent on specialized labor done by

family members (Parente, Rogerson, R. & Wright, R., 2000).

Operationally, the term refers to the range of income

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received and gained by the family such as: above average,

average, low, very low and poor.

Educational Qualifications. Conceptually and

operationally, the term refers to the educational attainment

of teachers as categorized as to; Doctoral Degree; Doctoral

Units, Master’s Degree, Master’s Units and Bachelor’s

Degree.

Gender. Conceptually and operationally, the term

refers to socially constructed roles, behaviours,

activities, and attributes that a given society considers

appropriate for men and women. It is considered as

biological and physiological characteristics that define men

and women (Gender Women and Health, 2001).

Length of Service. Conceptually and operationally, the

term refers to the tenure rendered by teachers in teaching

which categorized as to; 20 years and above, 19 – 15 years,

10 – 14 years, 9 - 5 years and 4 years and below.

Likert Scale. Conceptually, refers to unidimensional

scaling method. Operationally, the term refers to strongly

agree which means one is strongly favorable to the concept,

agree refers to somewhat favorable to the concept, undecided

means cannot decide for the concept, disagree refers to

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somewhat unfavorable to the concept, and strongly disagree

means strongly unfavorable to the concept ( William, 2008).

Mathematics. Conceptually and operationally, the term

refers to Mathematics in Grade 6 where the child is expected

to have mastered the four fundamental operations of whole

numbers, performs skills in decimals and fractions,

conceptualize the meaning of ratio and proportion, percent,

integers, simple probability, polygons, spatial figures,

measurement and graphs. Simple concepts in Algebra is also

introduced to be articulated in the high school (Basic

Education Curriculum, 2000).

National Achievement Test (NAT). Conceptually and

operationally, the term refers to The National Achievement

Test is an annual examination given to Grade sixth and tenth

students in the Philippines. The students' knowledge and

mastery over the

subjects English, Mathematics, Science, Filipino, and

HEKASI are measured using a multiple choice type test. The

examination is administered by the Department of Education's

National Educational Testing and Research Center (National

Educational Testing and Research Center - DepEd Philippines,

2000).

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National Educational Testing and Research Center

(NETRC). Conceptually and operationally, the term refers to

a center that leads in research, evaluation and assessment

of the effectiveness of education which provide information

vital of the formulation of educational policies geared

towards the realization of an empowered and globally

competitive Filipino. It analyzes and interprets data for

policy formulation and recommendation (Department of

Education Educational Development Projects Implementing Task

Force, 2000).

Seminars and Trainings Attended. Conceptually and

operationally, the term refers to the level of seminars and

trainings attended by teachers related to the subject in

Mathematics as conducted by; National Level, Regional Level,

Provincial Level, District Level and School Level.

Study Habit. Conceptually, it refers to the ways and

the habits that formed during school years and it can be

good ones, or bad ones. Good study habits include being

organized, keeping good notes, reading your textbook,

listening in class, and working every day. Bad study habits

include skipping class, not doing your work, watching TV or

playing video games instead of studying, and losing your

work (Learning Tips and Study Habits, 2002). Operationally,

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the term refers to the frequency of practices of good study

habits such as: Always, Sometimes, Frequently, Poor.

Styles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics.

Conceptually and operationally, the term refers to provide

specific, style-based help and information to classroom

teachers as they develop academic performance of pupils in

Mathematics to achieve curriculum standards.

Technological Gadgets. Conceptually, it refers to a

relevant factor in order to achieve competitive advantage

and the use of technology as competitive advantage inside

the organization is making possible to adapt human

necessities at par with technological innovation development

ratio; for that, it is precise to generate a body of

knowledge that allows to incursion in the technological

change field in a secure manner. Although it is true that

there are technological changes that generate authentic

revolutions in society, as multidisciplinary and multi-

sector participation can be a decisive factor in the process

of adoption. Operationally, the term refers to the range of

the usage of technology in learning Mathematics and its

influence such as Strongly Agree, Agree, Undecided,

Disagree, or Strongly Disagree.