Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the

Intermediate Grades

Introduction

This unit will present the various learning strategies that are used in teaching
Mathematics in the Intermediate grades. These are strategies that are research- based and have
been proven to be effective in developing the young learners’ Mathematical thinking. It is
expected that through the activities in this unit, you will be equipped with these different
strategies as you are engaged in lesson planning.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you are expected to:
1. demonstrate understanding and appreciation of the different instructional strategies for
Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades, and

2. exhibit skill in planning lessons using the different instructional strategies for Mathematics
in the Intermediate Grades

Activating Prior Knowledge

The constructivist learning theory states that learning is an active process of creating
meaning from different experiences. This means that students learn best by trying to make sense
of something on their own with the teacher as a guide. Knowledge is constructed when the
learner is able to draw ideas from his/ her own experiences and connect them to new ideas
(DepEd, 2016). As such, the constructivist learning theory serves as the backbone of the
curriculum.
Jean Piaget, in this theory, believed that young children learn by doing and constructing
knowledge from experiences rather than from adults telling them about their world.
Constructivism is applicable in teaching Mathematics since it is a cumulative, vertically
structured discipline.
Brook & Brooks (1993) listed the following characteristics of constructivist teaching:
1. Constructivist teachers invite student questions and ideas.
2. Constructivist teachers accept and encourage students’ invented ideas.
3. Constructivist teachers encourage students’ leadership, cooperation, seeking information, and
the presentation of the ideas.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

4. Constructivist teachers modify their instructional strategies in the process of teaching based
upon students’ thought, experience and/ or interest.
5. Constructivist teachers help students to test their own ideas, to respect and use other people’s
ideas, and to challenge the concepts and ideas of others.

The table below compares the traditional classroom to the constructivist one.

Traditional Classroom Constructivist Classroom

Curriculum Curriculum begins with the parts of Curriculum emphasizes big concepts,
the whole, emphasizing basic skills. beginning with the whole and
expanding to include the parts.

Teacher’s Role Teachers disseminate information to Teachers have a dialogue with

students; students are recipients of students, helping students construct
knowledge. their own knowledge.

Student’s Role Students work primarily alone. Students work primarily

in groups.

Topic 1. Problem Solving

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. point out the different learning competencies in intermediate math where problem
solving is appropriate to use, and
2. plan a lesson that uses problem- solving strategy

Presentation of Content
The problem- solving strategy involves students being challenged to collaboratively
solve real- world math problems which they have not yet previously encountered. It is student-
centered and it promotes critical and creative thinking skills, problem- solving abilities, and
communication skills. This strategy has three main elements: (1) the word problem; (2) the time
given for the students to struggle with the problem; and (3) the Mathematical discourse that
happens during the struggle and during the processing of the student- generated solutions.
The word problem
This strategy is used as a starting point of the learning experience. A problem that is
chosen or created that should be given at the beginning of the lesson should be solved using the
target concept of the lesson at hand but can also be answered using previously learned
knowledge and skills.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

For elementary grades, it is best that problem solving strategy is presented in a story-
telling manner to engage learners. In this case, students are encouraged to imagine the scenario.
It also helps that they clarify information if they find some details confusing. For young learners,
showing of drawings or real objects helps. It is not always helpful that problems are posted
because it can create intimidation.

The time given for the students to struggle with the problem
Problems to be solved by the students should make use of their prior knowledge or their
previously- learned knowledge and skills. These problems should promote collaboration; that
is, students share and communicate their ideas with each other. This can be through words,
equations, and/ or illustrations. It is important to make clear to the students that there can be
more than one way to solve a problem.

The Mathematical discourse

This phase requires the teachers’ mastery and fluency of the subject matter. While the
students are working in small groups to solve the problem, move around and be amazed at how
the students would defend their thinking, correct each other’s ideas, and figure out things out
on their own. Student- generated solutions, as long as correct, can be directed to the concept or
skill which is the objective of the lesson. Hence, the challenge is on how you would process
those various solutions, make sense of each of them, and use them to generalize or come up
with a solution.

Application
Study the lesson plan below. This plan shows only the development of the lesson that
involves the use of problem- solving strategy.

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Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

opic: Division of Fractions

Grade Level: 5
Target learning Competency: At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to
divide a whole number by a fraction.

Pre- requisite knowledge and skills:

1. Fraction as a part of a whole
2. Fraction as repeated subtraction
3. Division of Decimals
4. Multiplication of Fractions
5. Reciprocal

Presentation of the problem: Mentally multiply 24 and 5

I have 6 liters of water. I will transfer the water into glasses. Each glass can hold
2/5 liter. How many glasses can I fill?
Present the problem above in a narrative approach that will engage students.

Generation of solutions:
Students are instructed to work by pair or triads. Although they are to
determine ways by which they can solve the problem, they have to write down their
thoughts for the sake of discussion and to facilitate communication. Students are
encouraged to think about the problem and share their thoughts with their classmate.
They may do calculations or draw; any solution is welcome as long as they can explain
why they did such.

Watch out:
Facilitate students to realize that the given is a problem related to division of fractions.
Give guide questions if necessary to identify what the students know and then build on
that.

Processing of solutions:
Some pairs write and explain their solutions on the board.
(Presentation of the solutions will take place.)

Guide students to realize that the different solutions all lead to the same
answer, which is 15. Ask who among the students have solutions which are the same
as the ones presented.

Note:
Name a solution after those who presented it. In doing so, it (1) deepens the
students’ sense of ownership of their learning, and (2) motivates them to think of
unique solutions when given the same task in the future.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Assessment

Activity
Go over the K- 12 Curriculum Guide in Mathematics. Choose a learning competency
for Grade 4 and develop a lesson plan that will make use of the problem- solving strategy. Just
include the development part of the lesson as shown in the example above. As such follow the
parts of the example as presented.

Topic 2. Inductive Learning

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. identify the different learning competencies in intermediate math where inductive learning
is an appropriate strategy to use, and
2. plan a lesson that allows students to inductively learn a concept.

Presentation of Content
The inductive learning strategy, sometimes called discovery learning, provides
opportunities for students to discover concepts on their own. In an inductive learning lesson,
teachers design and facilitate activities that guide the learners in discovering a rule. These
activities may involve comparing and contrasting, grouping and labeling, looking for
relationships, or finding patterns. Furthermore, learners are engaged in activities that allow
students to observe examples that lead to their generalization. This generalization leads the
students to state a rule or formula based on the examples. The following are the four processes
that the students go through when given an inductive learning activity: (1) observe; (2)
hypothesize; (3) collect evidence; and (4) generalize.
Observe
It is natural for children to look for similarities and assume rules when they are given a
set of examples. Young children are good at looking for patterns. When this strategy is used,
teachers must present a set of well-thought- of examples so that students detect the pattern and
arrive at a correct rule or generalization.
Hypothesize
Given the set of examples, students observe and form rules in their minds. As a
facilitator of learning, encourage the students to share their thoughts and assure them that there
are no wrong hypotheses. Be open to the different ideas of the students but be able to direct
them to the unique and correct hypotheses.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Collect Evidence
To verify their hypothesis, provide more examples for the students to test. If more than
one hypothesis is derived by the students, give counterexamples for them to test.
Generalize
Based on the set of examples being tested, the learners arrive to a rule. In this stage, it
is important to guide students so that Mathematical terms are used in stating their rule. As such,
the students’ Mathematical vocabulary and their Mathematical communication skills are
developed.

Application

Study the lesson plans provided to you. Identify from the examples the competencies
where inductive learning was used or is possible to use.

Assessment

Activity
Go over the K- 12 Curriculum Guide in Mathematics. Choose a learning competency
for Grade 6 and develop a lesson plan which allows the students to discover a rule inductively.
Just include the development part of the lesson as shown in the example above. As such, follow
the parts of the example as presented.

Topic 3. Concept Attainment

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. identify the different learning competencies in intermediate math where concept attainment
is an appropriate strategy to use, and
2. plan a lesson that applies content attainment strategy.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Presentation of Content

Concept attainment is also an instructional strategy anchored to the constructivist

learning theory. This is a strategy in which concept is not directly taught to the students.
Students learn and understand concepts by identifying common attributes through comparison
and contrast of examples and non- examples. Since concept attainment is used in understanding
meanings, it is useful in learning Mathematical terminologies.
To use the concept attainment strategy, the following are the steps to follow: (1)
presentation of examples and non- examples; (2) listing of common attributes; (3)adding
student- given examples; (4) defining the Mathematical term; and (5) checking of
understanding.
Presentation of examples and non- examples
Provide examples and non- examples alternately. The students should be able to name
some common attributes based on the examples alone. After which, non- examples are also
provided to confirm the attributes named out of the examples.
Listing of common attributes
Encourage students to list common attributes. This may be done as a whole class or by
pairs. As the listing of examples and non- examples go on, some of the listed attributes may be
crossed- out later.
Adding student- given examples
Based on the listed attributes, the students are asked to give their own examples. Manage
the answers of the students; some of the attributes may be revised to make them clearer to the
students.
Defining the Mathematical term
Assist students to give a word or phrase for the concept. They may not be able to give
the exact term (e. g., quadrilateral), but the etymology of the word may be derived from them
(e. g., four faces).
Checking of understanding
Give the students a list of examples and ask them whether each item on it is an example
or a non- example. This is meant to check the students’ understanding of the concept.

Application

Study the lesson plan below. The goal of the lesson is for the students to define a
prism. Instead of listing examples on the board, real object examples and non- examples will
be provided.

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Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Topic: Prism

Grade Level: 4

Target learning competency: At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to
define a prism, give examples and non- examples of prisms, and identify
whether a given is a prism or not.

Pre- requisite knowledge and skills:

Definitions of the following:

1. Parallel
2. Polygon
3. Circle

Identifying common attributes based on examples and non- examples:

Tell the students that they will be detectives for today. Their goal is to
discover the common characteristics of the figures which will be shown to them.

Batch Examples Non- examples

1 Chalk box Cone ball
2 Single Toblerone box Egyptian pyramid replica
3 Pentagonal prism prototype 6- sided die
4 Oblique pentagonal prism Can
prototype

The following are the common attributes that the students are expected to
provide based on the given set of examples. These may be provided through the
guidance of the teacher.

Set Common Attributes

1 The faces are squares or rectangles.
2 Most faces are squares or rectangles; two opposite faces may be any
other shape.
3 The two identical faces are connected by rectangles.
4 The two identical faces are connected by parallelograms.

Ask students to look around and give examples of objects that they think are
prisms. The given objects will be categorized as examples or non- examples of such.

Defining the Mathematical term

Lead the students to agree that prisms are solid figures with the following
properties: with polygonal faces, two of which are parallel and congruent and the
rest are parallelograms connecting them.

Checking of understanding

Show 10 architectural structures around the world and let the students
identify each as prism or not.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Assessment

Activity
Go over the K- 12 Curriculum Guide in Mathematics. Choose a learning competency
for Grade 6 and develop a lesson plan which allows the students to discover the meaning of a
Mathematical term. Just include the development part of the lesson as shown in the example
above. As such, follow the parts of the example as presented.

Topic 4. Mathematical Investigation

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. identify the different learning competencies where Mathematical investigation is an
appropriate strategy to use, and
2. generate investigative tasks and list the possible problems that students would pose given
the task.

Presentation of Content
Mathematical investigation is an open- ended Mathematical task which involves not
only problem- solving but also problem- posing. In this strategy, the word “investigation” does
not refer to the process that may occur when solving a close- ended problem, but an activity
that in itself promotes independent Mathematical thinking.
The following are the three (3) main phases of a Mathematical investigation lesson: (1)
problem- posing; (2) conjecturing; and (3) justifying conjectures. In the problem- posing phase,
the students explore the given situation and come up with a mathematical problem that they
would want to engage in. On the other hand, the conjecturing phase involves collecting and
organizing data, looking for patterns, inferring, and generalizing. In the final phase, the students
are to justify and explain their inferences and generalizations.
In problem- solving strategy, students are encouraged to think outside the box. However,
in Mathematical investigation, there is no box to start with. The students are placed in a space
where they can play around whichever way they want. The objective of Mathematical
investigation is the investigation itself wherein they exercise creative thinking and problem-
solving; thus, making it a divergent and learner- centered strategy. The strategy is not after the
teaching and learning of some competencies in the curriculum but the developing of the
mathematical habits of mind.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Application

Study the tasks below to distinguish between problem- solving and Mathematical
investigation strategies.
Task A- Problem Solving

There are 30 pupils in the classroom. In order to work on an activity, the

teacher intends to group her pupils. Find the total number of groups that can be
formed such that there are three members in each group.

Task B- Mathematical Investigation

There are 30 pupils in the classroom. In order to work on an activity, the

teacher intends to group her pupils. Find the total number of groups that can be
formed such that each group has the same number of students. Investigate.

Notice that in Task A, there is a specific problem to solve. Students may solve it by
drawing diagrams or through simulation for smaller number of pupils then investigate the
pattern that may arise. This investigation is a process that may occur in problem solving. On the
other hand, the problem in Task B is not specific. Students may opt to find the total number of
groups that can be formed with 3 members or not. Some students may want to investigate the
number of groups with 3 members that can be formed such that all members are boys or a
combination of boys and girls. Other groups may choose to investigate the possible number of
groups that can be formed with 5or 6 members. Some children may even decide to work on a
problem that the teacher has not thought of. This is an investigation as an activity itself.

Assessment
Activity
Answer the remaining parts based on the close- ended problem that is given
Close- ended problem:

There are 24 animals in the farm. Some are cows and the rest are chicken. There are 60
animal legs in all. How many cows and how many chickens are there?

Investigative task:

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Possible student- generated problems:

Topic 5. Game- Based Learning

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. identify the different learning competencies where game- based learning is an appropriate
strategy to use, and
2. develop a lesson plan that integrates game to motivate students, cater mathematical
investigation, or practice a mathematical skill.

Presentation of Content
Play is children’s work and they love. Children find games both motivating and
enjoyable. As such, teachers use games to facilitate the teaching- learning process. Games can
be used as lesson starters to get the students engaged. It is also used to explore Mathematical
concepts and processes or cater Mathematical investigation. However, most of the time,
games are used to practice Mathematical skills.
Games do not only make the lesson engaging for young learners. They also create a
relaxed environment in a Mathematics class. In fact, games associate Mathematics with
positive feelings like excitement, victory, and fun competition. It may help students overcome
their Math anxiety and cope with their unfavorable attitude toward the subject. Because in
every game a goal has to be achieved, students naturally develop their problem- solving skills
and strategic and creative thinking. When working with groups in doing games, the social
skills of the learners is also developed.
According to Koay Phong Lee (1996) as cited by Gusano, et. Al(2020) in his article
“The Use of Mathematical Games in Teaching Primary Mathematics” (which may also be
applicable among intermediate learners), a game that has instructional value has the following
characteristics:
1. The game has two or more opposing teams.
2. The game has a goal and the players have to make a finite number of moves to reach the
goal stated. Each move is the result of a decision made.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

3. There is a set of rules that govern decision- making.

4. The rules are based on Mathematical ideas.
5. The game ends when the goal is reached.
The fourth characteristic suggests that mathematical games should not only about
“having fun” but also about “doing math” in itself. It is therefore important that the teacher
observes the following when using game- based strategy in teaching: (1) lay down rules clearly,
(2) observe, assess, and process students’ understanding, and (3) work with students who need
additional help.

Application
This involves a guessing game to develop the students’ sense of weight. Weight as
claimed is an abstract measurement for children because they do not see it just like area and
length.
Topic: Addition of fractions

Materials(for each pair of players):

1. 1 spinner
2. 1 game board

3. 2 sets of fraction pieces, different colored set for each player (Rectangles,
squares, triangles, and smaller squares representing 1, ½, ¼, and 1/8, respectively.)

Mechanics:

1. Players take turns to spin.

2. After each spin, the player picks fraction piece(s) that represent(s) the fraction
indicated on the spinner and adds it on the game board.
3. A player may exchange two or more of his/ her adjacent fraction pieces on the
game board for an equivalent fraction piece.
4. A fraction piece placed on the game card cannot be moved unless for
“exchanging” purposes.
5. When the game board has been completely covered, the player whose fraction
pieces cover up a larger area is the winner.
6. In case of a tie, the player who used less fraction pieces is the winner.

In the game, allowing the students to exchange fraction pieces cater the idea of adding
fractions. For more meaningful discussion, the students may be required to record their moves
(what fraction turned in each spin, which fraction pieces e/ she used, etc.).

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Assessment
Activity
Develop a mathematical game that has instructional value. Consider a game that
will be used to practice/ master Mathematical skills. Follow the template below for the output.
Topic: __________________________

Materials:

Mechanics:

Topic 6. Use of Manipulatives

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. identify the different learning competencies where the use of manipulatives is an
appropriate strategy to use, and
2. develop a lesson plan that integrates the use of manipulative to aid mathematical
instruction.

Presentation of Content
Manipulatives are concrete objects like blocks, tiles, and Geometric figures that students
can interact with (touch and move) in order to develop conceptual understanding of
Mathematics concepts. The K- 12 Mathematics curriculum calls for manipulatives to be used
in teaching variety of competencies. This strategy is effective in helping the students acquire a

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

deeper understanding of Mathematics aside from the fact that it gives the teacher a chance to
genuinely assess the students’ Mathematical thinking.
The use of manipulatives requires for proper guidance and instruction from the teacher.
When using this strategy, the teacher should move around, observe, and take note of students,
discussions and ways of manipulating. Moving around will allow the teacher to give immediate
feedback. Taking note of observations will help in the improvement of future lessons. Proper
guidance and immediate feedback from the teacher helps to avoid confusion especially among
the struggling students in Mathematics. Careless use of manipulatives might result in students
believing that there are two different worlds of mathematics- the manipulative and the symbolic.
It is, therefore, important that the teacher carefully plans how to integrate manipulatives in
classroom discussion in such a way that there is a smooth transition from concrete to abstract.
The following are some guidelines in using manipulatives in the classroom:
1. Orient the students on how to use the manipulative. Give some time for the students to
play with the manipulative. Allow them to explore the object and what they can do to it.
2. Give clear and specific instructions. State the goal of the activity and how the
manipulative can help them achieve the goal.
3. While the students are at work, pay attention to their Mathematical talk. Use their ideas
to enhance the discussion that follows after the activity.
4. If some students are struggling, ask the “why” and “how” questions to scaffold their
way through the activity.
Many manipulatives are commercially available. Some examples of these are the base
10 blocks (for learning value, place value, decimals, etc.), geoboards (for learning properties of
plane figures), play money, and paper clock. However, manipulatives can also be created using
readily available materials like popsicle sticks, buttons, boards, fasteners, etc. Creating your
own manipulatives is much cheaper and at the same time you can customize it according to you
need.

Application

A geoboard is used to reinforce the understanding of different kinds of triangles. This

activity may be done after the learners have learned the kinds of triangles according to angle
measure (acute, right, and obtuse) and according to length (scalene, isosceles, and equilateral).
Using rubber bands, they will create objects that will represent the different kinds of triangles.
Examples of these are boat and satellite. The learners will be asked to name the object created
and to give a description to this.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Assessment
Activity
Go over the K- 12 Curriculum Guide in Mathematics. Choose a learning competency
from Grade 4- 6 and develop a lesson plan that will make use of the manipulative strategy. Just
include the development part of the lesson and complete the template below.

Topic: _________________________

Name of manipulative:

Design and materials:

Instructions:

Topic 7. Values Integration

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. spontaneously integrate values in a Math class setting
2. plan a lesson in which values education can be incorporated into existing
mathematics curricula

Presentation of Content
In the formal classroom set- up, the bulk of the teacher’s lesson planning focuses on the
cognitive and psychomotor aspects of the teaching- learning process. However, it cannot be
denied that the third domain- which is the affective domain is overlooked. The affective domain
includes the manner in which we deal with things emotionally, such as feelings, values,
appreciation, motivations, and attitude (Krathwohl, 1964). This particular domain, when tapped
during the learning process, can really make students reflect on the connection between
Mathematical concepts and values or standards of behavior that will help them deal with the
pressures and difficulties in life. Indeed, Mathematics can be used as a tool for values
integration. Values such as honesty, patience, and resilience in facing failures are some of the

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

many values that can be developed through mathematics. Values integration will help students
get life lessons through math. If students find a learning material engaging and meaningful,
then they will ask for more and get curious. Curiosity is the force behind lifelong learning.

Application

The valuing part can be done in any part of the lesson. Listed below are the Mathematical
concepts vis- a vis the sample questions and/ or morals that the learners can reflect on. These
are examples by which valuing can be integrated in the lesson presentation.

Math Topic Values Integration Point

1. Zero as a place Zero is considered as a number that does not worth anything on
holder its own. However, in reality, zero makes a lot of difference. For
example, the number 8,305. Without the digit 0, the substantial
difference between 8,305 and 835 cannot be expressed. At times,
we develop a feeling of worthlessness. However, remember that
we are irreplaceable and valuable to other people’s lives and that
we make a difference in their lives.
2. Equivalent Notice that despite the differences in form, color, ethnicity,
fractions gender, faith, socio- economic status, mental health condition,
etc., our lives are worth saving. We are all born equal but with
peculiarities and differences.
3.Whole Numbers Connect the lesson to the concept of “wholeness’- comprising the
full quantity, the start of forming a complete and harmonious
whole, the state of being unbroken and undamaged.
1. What were your experiences in the past that make you feel
“whole” or “complete”?
2. Bullying can make a person’s heart break/ not whole. Give an
example of an incident in the past wherein you or a classmate
had experienced bullying (in any form). How did you respond to
this? What can you do to stand up against persons who break or
damage people’s heart?
4. Patterns A person develops a pattern of behavior if he/ she repeats an
activity over and over again.
1. What are the personal behavior patterns that you wish to
break?
2. What are the personal behavior patterns that you wish to form?
Why?
5. Polygons Increasing the number of sides of a polygon approximates a circle.
In ancient times, a circle is considered as a perfect shape. In life, if
you want to improve yourself, you should be able to face and
overcome challenges in life. Overcoming trials means gaining new
insights/ perspectives that make you a better person.

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6. Units of Why are units important?

Measurement Units are like names. Their names help identify who they are.
Objects also have names. They can be identified and described
further using their units.

Aside from integrating values in the lessons, it is a growing demand for teachers to
deliberately teach values by setting a good example and discussing/ processing moral issues to
learners. Furthermore, it is vital to educate people on the traditional values of our country. It is
therefore crucial that teachers use a variety of methods to convey the important values that the
learners have to uphold.

Assessment
This activity will test your skill in spontaneously integrating values in Math class setting.
Consider that the topic is Solving for the Unknown in an Equation. How will you tap into your
students’ affective domain for them to understand the relevance of the lesson in their lives?

Complete the template provided below.

Topic: Solving for the Unknown in an Equation

Possible Values Integration Point

Topic 8. Collaboration

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
Design collaborative activities that will encourage involvement, interdependence, and
fair division of labor among students.

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Presentation of Content

Collaborative learning stems out from the Zone of proximal development theory of
Vygotsky. According to Vygotsky, the zone of proximal development is the distance between
the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem- solving and the level of
potential development as determined through problem- solving under adult guidance or in
collaboration with more capable peers. When transitioning from preschool to primary grades,
children develop a really strong bond with one friend. Some child psychologists point out that
it is easier for some kids to relate to just one co- learner rather than socializing with a big group
at the same time. However, teachers can provide primary graders with many opportunities for
interaction. Within collaborating groups, children learn to try things out, conjecture, explore,
justify, evaluate, and convince others of their findings. Collaborative tasks provide enriching
opportunities for learners to explore other students’ perspectives that may differ from their own.
It is therefore important that as teachers, when implementing collaborative work, these are
carefully designed and successfully implemented.
Listed below are some tips about preparing, monitoring, and processing collaborative
tasks in the classroom that will maximize the students’ capacity to socialize and learn from and
with each other.

1. Identify the instructional objectives

When deciding whether or not to use collaborative work for a specific task, it is
important to consider the following: What does the activity aim to achieve? Is the
activity complex enough that it requires group work? Does the task really require true
collaboration? Is there any reason why the assignment should not be collaborative?
Are the objectives attainable within a given time frame?

2. Determine the group size

How many students will be assigned to each group? The group size should depend on
the total number of students, the size of the venue where the activity will be held, the
variety of students needed in a group, and the task assigned. It is suggested that there
should be 4 to 5 members in a group in order to maximize the participation of every
member in each group.

3. Decide how you will divide the class

The fastest way to group students is through proximity. It can also be done by
randomly assigning students to groups by counting off and grouping them according to
number. There can be many ways by which students may be divided into groups. Just
make sure that each group has a good mixture of personalities so that the purpose of
collaboration will be attained.

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Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

4. Give a teambuilding task before assigning the actual task

It is important that preliminary task is given to establish a good rapport among the
members of each group. This can be done by giving simple activities such as asking
each member to answer questions about his favorite foods, books, places, or hobbies.
Through this, students will be given the opportunity to find connections- things they
have in common with one another.
(Note: This part can be removed if the class is already bonded and cohesive.)

5. Delegate a specific task to each member of the group

Come up with a task wherein different roles are assigned to group members so that
they are all involved in the process. Each member should feel responsible for the
success of their group mates and realize that their individual success depends on the
group’s success. If a student feels that other people are relying on them, he/ she will be
motivated to accomplish his/ her part excellently.
6. Have a contract signed by your participants
Establish how group members should interact with one another. Make them sign an
agreement that explicitly states their expectations of one another. The contract should
also include the behaviors; e. g., what to avoid and the values that the each member of
the group should observe and uphold. This can be considered as the mechanics of the
group activity.
7. Share your reason/s for doing collaborative activities
Students must understand the benefits of collaborative learning. This should be clearly
articulated to the students.
8. Give your instructions clearly
Giving a clear set of instructions contributes to the good performance of students in an
activity. Failing to do so can lead to huge waste of time. As a facilitator of the activity,
students should be told exactly what to perform and describe what the final output will
look like.
9. Go around and keep your eyes open
As the students accomplish the group task, the teacher should go around and answer
questions related to the task. Listen to their collaborative dialogues, pay attention to
the interesting points that will surface from the discussion, and talk about these
interesting points during the subsequent closing/ processing of activity.
10. Provide closure to the group activities
Ask students to give an oral or written report regarding the activity. The reporting
should revolve around their insights. Students may also give their reflection or idea of
their perceptions about group work.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Application
The following is a sample collaborative activity that may be given to students.
Activity: Jigsaw

As in Jigsaw puzzles, each student holds a vital piece of the puzzle. They need to
assemble in order to complete the whole puzzle. In this collaborative activity, each
member of the group will be given a task to perform. The goal of the group is to gather
every member’s input to come up with a final output.

Topic: Operations on Decimals

Objective: To work cooperatively with other members of the group to ensure the
attainment of its goals

Time Frame: 55 minutes

Mechanics of the Task:

1. Pretend you are a member of a committee that is in charge of organizing a math quiz
bee for your school. In order to get financial assistance from the school, the board
of trustees of your school wants your committee to present a project proposal
containing all the projected expenses associated with the project. The committee
head delegated the following tasks to his members.

Student A: Compute the total cost of all the materials needed for the activity.
Student B: Compute the projected utility bills.
Student C: Determine how many students are needed to attend the event in order to
break even and to earn profit.
Student D: Determine if the school has a sufficient number of school personnel
available during the event.

After completing the task, the group will now consolidate their work and verify the
accuracy of their solutions. The group is expected to determine the total costs
covering all the expenses for the said project.

Assessment
Activity:
Go over the K- 12 Curriculum Guide in Mathematics. Choose a topic from Grade 6 and
design your own collaborative activity suited for the topic selected. Follow the template as
presented in the Application portion for this activity.

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

Topic 9. Teaching by Asking

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

Formulate purposeful questions that encourage students to participate in classroom
discussions.

Presentation of Content

In the teaching- learning process, effective questioning is essential. In fact, art of

questioning is a very important skill any affective teacher must possess. Through meaningful
questions that a teacher asks, he/ she is able to identify students who are having a hard time with
the lesson and those with more advanced skills. It is therefore important that teachers frame
questions that will keep the class discussion going and engaging. The teacher spends a
significant amount of time to ask scaffolding questions to help students understand an idea
deeply.
Asking the right and meaningful questions will help a teacher to understand what the
learners know, what they do not know, and what they need to know. Considering that asking
questions is an art and like any other art for that matter, there is no specific formula that works
in all situations all the time. The following are the general ideas to be considered when framing
essential questions:
1. Avoid “one- word response” questions
Questions answerable by “yes - no” or any one- word should be avoided because they
do not provide sufficient information to check the learners’ thought processes. Pose
questions that help the students articulate themselves, clarify concepts, challenge known
assumptions, examine reasons, and make significant connections to Mathematical
concepts.
2. Foster a climate conducive to learning and questioning
Establish an environment in which the learners feel comfortable to express their ideas
and/ or ask questions at any time. Listen attentively to what the learners have to say so
that a good working relationship will be fostered. Ask challenging questions to stimulate
critical thinking and not to discipline a student who is not behaving well in class.
3. My question, My answer is a no- no!
As a teacher, do not answer your own question. Try to rephrase the question if you fail
to elicit responses from the students. When a question is asked, give the students time

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 Instructional Strategies for Mathematics in the Intermediate Grades Prepared by: ADAndres (Course Professor)

to ponder and hypothesize deeply about ideas. Leading questions are also encouraged
to help the students level up their conceptual understanding.
4. Frame questions that are accessible to all learners
Avoid giving labels to the questions that you ask. It should be clear to the students that
questions are for all the members of the class. It is helpful that open- ended questions
are asked because this type of questioning encourages students to communicate their
thoughts. Since this type of question allows for multiple answers, all types of students
can contribute their ideas to the discussion.
5. Learners should be active questioners, too
Students should also be encouraged to ask questions. These questions should not only
be directed to the teacher but also to their classmates. When a student asks a question,
the teacher should not answer the questions immediately. Instead it can be directed to
the other students. After hearing a response from one student, a follow up can be done
by channeling it to another learner for feedback. This prompts students for further
participation.

Application
The table below provides examples of classroom situations along with possible
questioning techniques.
Situation Questioning Technique
1. Helping a student What part/s of the problem is/ are difficult to understand?
who got stuck on a What are the given pieces of information?
problem What possible strategies can you use to help you understand the
problem?
Would drawing a diagram help?
How would you describe the problem in your own words?
What happens if you try it with smaller numbers?
2. Desiring the students What do you think about your classmate’s answer?
to listen and respond How would you restate your classmates reasoning?
to the answers of his/ Did anyone get the same result but with a different solution
her classmates method?
Why is your classmate’s assumption correct/ incorrect?
Would you like to comment on any of the previous answers?
3. Leading your Does this formula always work? Why?
students to the right How do perimeter and area differ?
conjecture, How do the radius and the diameter of the circle relate to each
definition, or other?
generalization Will this solution method work if some conditions about the
problem are changed?
Do you notice any patterns? What conjectures can you give about
this?
What Mathematical rule/s support/s this statement/ solution?
How are fractions related decimals?

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Can you give examples and non- examples of proper/ improper

fractions?

Assessment
Activity
Consider yourself teaching addition of dissimilar fractions. Write a script containing all
the scaffolding questions that may be asked to lead the learners to the correct addition rules.

Summary
✓ Not all word problems develop problem- solving skills. A good use of the problem-
solving strategy involves a real- life problem, sufficient time for students to think about
the problem, and an opportunity to engage students in mathematical discourse.
✓ Inductive learning is about the students discovering the Mathematical concepts by
themselves with the teacher as a guide. In this strategy, students observe, hypothesize,
collect evidence, and generalize.
✓ Mathematical terms can also be defined through discovery by applying the concept
attainment strategy. This strategy involves the presentation of examples and non-
examples, listing of common attributes, adding student- given examples, defining the
Mathematical term, and checking of understanding.
✓ Mathematical investigation is an open- ended teaching strategy that capitalizes on the
students’ ability to identify a problem. Any word problem can be transformed into a
Mathematical investigation by limiting the given information and committing the
specific question that it is asking.
✓ Game- based learning is a strategy that takes advantage of children’s love for games.
Applying this strategy is good in reducing Mathematics anxiety among learners.
✓ Manipulatives have long been used to facilitate Mathematics learning. Although many
manipulatives are available in the market, the manipulatives created by the teacher are
still the best because these are customized to meet exactly the students’ need and nature.
✓ Values integration is a growing demand from teachers in the educative process. In doing
so, teachers need to be intentional about it and reflect on ways to inject values in their
Mathematics lessons.
✓ Group activities can foster collaboration when thoughtfully designed and carefully
facilitated. Clear instructions and goals are some of the important considerations in this
strategy.
✓ Teachers can effectively facilitate a meaningful discussion by asking the right questions.
It is important that the teacher possesses the art of questioning and has created a learning
environment that is open to questioning.

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References
Camarista, Genesis G. & Oranio Ian B. (2019) Teaching Mathematics in the Intermediate
Grades. Lorimar Publishing Inc., Quezon City, Philippines.
Gusano, R. C., et. al. (2020) A Course Module for Teaching Math in the Intermediate Grades.
Rex Bookstore, Manila, Philippines.
K- 12 Basic Education Curriculum Guide in Mathematics

Note:
Most of the parts of this module is adopted from A Course Module for Teaching Math
in the Intermediate Grades by Gusano, R. C., et. al. (2020). Modifications were made to match
the syllabus and to present the module by following the format as prescribed by the university.

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