V3I5P118

Efficacy of Strategic Intervention Material in Teaching Word Problems Involving Linear Equations in One Variable Among Grade 8 Students 

Jurdil Faith D. Salas^1*, Dr. Rodelio B. Pasion²

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy of a Strategic Intervention Material (SIM) in improving Grade 8 students’ performance in solving word problems involving linear equations in one variable. Employing a one-group pretest–posttest quasi-experimental research design, the study was conducted with 40 Grade 8 students from an intact class at Rizal National High School in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, during School Year 2025–2026. A researcher-made 50-item multiple-choice test, validated by experts and pilot-tested with a reliability coefficient of 0.884 using Kuder–Richardson Formula 20, served as the primary instrument for data collection. The developed SIM integrated procedural segmentation, guided translation activities, scaffolded equation-building tasks, and comprehension cues to address identified learner difficulties in algebraic word-problem solving. Mean Percentage Scores (MPS), standard deviation, and a paired-samples t-test were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed an increase in learners’ mean score from 28.5 (MPS = 57.0%) on the pretest to 33.8 (MPS = 67.6%) on the posttest, indicating an improvement from an Average level to Moving Towards Mastery. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between pretest and posttest scores (p < 0.001) with a large effect size (1.27). The study concluded that SIM significantly enhanced learners’ competence in solving algebraic word problems and may serve as an effective supplementary instructional intervention in mathematics education.

Keywords:

Strategic Intervention Material (SIM), Linear Equations in One Variable, Word Problem Solving, Mathematics Education, Quasi-Experimental Design, Grade 8 Learners