IMPROVING LEARNER’S SKILL IN SOLVING MULTIPLE OPERATION EQUATIONS USING

FUNNYMES

I. Context and Rationale

Mathematic is extremely important on today's world and it is considered as a basic need

for us to understand the world around us. Mathematics is also a tool for us to face issues in
business. Math always surround us as we budget our daily expenses, balance our daily fare and
also as we go shopping we use mathematics. And everyone needs a specific mathematic
knowledge. Accept it or not mathematics is really very much needed for survival and to solve
real life problems.

It cannot be denied that mathematics became very important. Mathematics, in general,

is an important subject because of its practical role to a person and the society as a whole. Most
professions use math to perform their job better and to get ahead in the world. Anyone can be a
mathematician if one is given proper guidance and training in the formative period of one’s life.

A good curriculum of mathematics is helpful in effective teaching and learning of the

subject. Experience says learning mathematics can be made easier and enjoyable if our
curriculum includes mathematical activities and games.

Math’s puzzles and riddles encourage and attract an alert and open-minded attitude
among youngsters and help them develop clarity in their thinking. Emphasis should be laid on
development of clear concept in mathematics in a child, right from the primary classes. If a
teacher fails here, then the child will develop a phobia for the subject as he moves on to the
higher classes.

For explaining a topic in mathematics, a teacher should take help of pictures, sketches,
diagrams and models as far as possible. As it is believed that the process of learning is
complete if our sense of hearing is accompanied by our sense of sight. Open-ended questions
should be given to the child to answer and he/she should be encouraged to think about the
solutions in all possible manners. The child should be appreciated for every correct attempt. And
the mistakes must be immediately corrected without any criticism.

Many kids have trouble with math, but some students find it more difficult than others.
These may be otherwise bright children who have a keen sense of logic and reasoning but still
perform poorly on homework, tests, and quizzes. Over time, repeated underperformance in
math can cause a student to become demotivated and believe he or she is “stupid” or not good
at the subject.

Moreover, as math is cumulative, falling behind might mean a learner misses out on
much of what is taught for the rest of the school term. Having basic math skills is important,
regardless of the career an individual chooses to pursue. That’s why it’s key to identify issues
early on. Given the right combination of classroom accommodations and learning strategies,
every student can achieve his or her full potential in math.

Teaching on how to solve equation involving multiple operation or the order of operations
can be frustrating to teach, but it doesn’t have to be. There’s no question that this is an
extremely challenging topic for elementary students. Fortunately, there are loads of strategies
for teaching order of operations that are both fun and effective. One reason kids struggle with
this concept is that there are so many rules to learn and follow. Even worse, rules that appear to
be simple often prove to be deceptively compel. Most kids can easily remember that
multiplication and division are always performed before addition and subtraction, especially after
they learn to follow the order described by “PEMDAS”. However, they tend to get stuck when an
equation includes both multiplication AND division. Most kids automatically multiply before
dividing, but order of operations tells us to perform the operation that comes first when reading
the problem from left to right. No wonder kids find order of operations to be super confusing.
Another reason kids struggle is that even when they understand how to use order of operations
correctly, they don’t apply the rules systematically. Because the problems look easy, students try
to rely on mental math alone to solve them. This may work with the easy problems, but mental
math isn’t effective with more complex problems that include multiple operations, parentheses.
(Candler, Laura, 2010).

The difficulty of the students in solving multiple operation equation can be improve
through FUNNYMES. FUNNYMES is composed of fun activities such as game. A game is a
structured form of play, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an
educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration,
and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements.

Games are sometimes played purely for entertainment, sometimes for achievement or
reward as well. They can be played alone or in teams. The players may have an audience of
non-players. On the other hand, players in a game may constitute their own audience as they
take their turn to play. Often, part of the entertainment for children playing a game is deciding
who part of their audience is and who is a player. But in a classroom environment all students
are considered players.

Key components of games are goals, rules, challenge, and interaction. Games generally
involve mental or physical stimulation, and often both. But in this subject, Funnymes let the
students developed their mental abilities or the ability to think critically or analytically. The
student won’t developed mental stress because of Funnymes. Funnymes are fun activities, it
can be a stress reliever of the students where they are learning and also enjoying.

Attested as early as 2600 BC, games are a universal part of human experience and present in
all cultures. This the best way or strategy to learn math, is to use games in teaching learning
process.

II. INNOVATION, INTERVENTION, AND STRATEGY

The researcher prepared four (3) FUNNYMES

1. Bingo – This is a fun game activity for practicing the skill in solving multiple operation
equation. The good part of this game is the player or student cannot win without using
the steps in solving multiple operation equation.

2. Task Cards – this task cards is good for the students to keep their skills fresh. The task
cards can be used in math center or for cooperative learning activities.

3. Cross Number Puzzle - a puzzle consisting of grid squares and blanks into which
numbers crossing vertically and horizontally are written according to clues. This puzzle is
good for relieving the stress of the students where they think critically but enjoying
playing the game as well as learning.

This Funnymes are good for the students because they were learning while
enjoying learning this specific topic. It also good for the mental health of the students
because every activity in Funnymes can relieve the stress of the students.
III. ACTION RESEARCH QUESTION

The main purpose of this study was to guarantee the use of FUNNYMES to improve the
skills of Grade 5 pupils at Balogo East Elementary School in solving multiple operation
equations.

Specially, this study seek the answers of the following questions:

1. What causes students to be struggling in solving multiple operational equation?

2. What are the features of the Funnymes?
3. How effective is this Funnymes in teaching multiple operational equations.

IV. Action Research Method

A. Participants and/or Other Sources of Data and Information

The researcher asked for the approval of this research to the subject instructor, then to
the Dean of Education and to the Administrator. Upon the approval, the researcher asked
permission to the principal of Balogo East Elementary School, Balogo Oas, Albay to undergo
the research on a certain class of a mathematics teacher. The chosen respondents are the
students of Grade 5 taking Mathematics subject. This study is intended to prove whether the
use of Funnymes as an instructional material is effective in improving the learner's skill in
solving multiple operational equations.

B. Data Gathering Method

The researcher design adopted for this study is descriptive-comparative. The

respondents were given formative tests without and with the aid of FUNNYMES which were
made by the researcher. It consisted of 20 item questions in lined with the Instructional
Competencies in Curriculum Guide. The pre-test was given before instruction to find out the
level of the students in solving multiple operational equation. After three (3) demo-teaching, the
proponent gave the same test questionnaires which have the same assessment objective but
with the use of the Funnymes. The data gathered on these tests are analyzed and compared
using the t-test for Correlated Samples at 0.05 level of significance in order to identify the
significant difference in the level of student's skills in as to the efficiency of the utilization of
Funnymes in teaching multiple operational equation

C. Data Analysis Plan

 This research proposed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in
analyzing data.

For the qualitative method, some data would be in the form of words and pictures and
the use of interpretation of events such as observation. This would provide additional
information on statistics, graphs, and tables in descriptive forms.

The quantitative method used during the later phases of the research. The researcher
used these tools such as questionnaires. Data is in the form of numbers and statistics. This
research method seeks precise measurement and analysis of target concepts using surveys,
questionnaires, and checklists.

VIII. REFERENCES
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/kenjoyb/k-to-12-mathematics-
curriculum-guide-for-grades-
110&ved=2ahUKEwjwq__vycrlAhWKbN4KHVpxDQAQFjACegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw2D1VdbG
ud8zahMaeIqvhcO

https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/kenjoyb/k-to-12-mathematics-
curriculum-guide-for-grades-
110&ved=2ahUKEwjwq__vycrlAhWKbN4KHVpxDQAQFjACegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw2D1VdbG
ud8zahMaeIqvhcO

https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/kenjoyb/k-to-12-mathematics-
curriculum-guide-for-grades-
110&ved=2ahUKEwjwq__vycrlAhWKbN4KHVpxDQAQFjACegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw2D1VdbG
ud8zahMaeIqvhcO

Learning Guide in Elementary Mathematics Grade 5 (M5NS-Ic-61.2)