The effects of using manipulatives in teaching and learning of algebraic expression on senior high school (SHS) one students’ achievements in Wa municipality

Abstract

The study set out to investigate the effects of using manipulatives in teaching and learning of algebraic expressions on Senior High School one students’ achievement in the Wa Municipality. The purpose was to find out what type of manipulative is
being used to teach algebraic expressions and its effects on the achievements of students in Senior High Schools. In all, 10 mathematics teachers were randomly sampled from all the senior high schools in the Wa Municipality while eighty students were also selected from the same schools for the study. The research design used for the study was a survey and the instruments used for collecting the data on the study were achievement test and questionnaire. An ANOVA test conducted revealed that there was a significant difference in achievement between students taught algebraic expressions using manipulatives and those taught without using manipulatives. The study also found that students were very active and in high spirit to learn mathematics when manipulatives were used. The study further found that students taught algebraic expressions with the use of manipulatives achieved higher than those taught without the use of manipulative. The study concludes that teachers should always use manipulatives to teach concepts in mathematics since it is pupils friendly, activity oriented, arouses students’ interest and facilitates higher understanding that results in higher achievement.