Mathematical Communication and Problem-Posing Skills Among Grade 6 Pupils

Abstract

This study explored the mathematical communication and problem-posing skills among Grade 6 pupils of Santa Isabela Sur Elementary School in the City of Ilagan, Isabela. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, the study assessed the pupils’ level of mathematical communication in terms of clarity of explanation, use of mathematical vocabulary and symbols, organization of solution processes, and written expression of reasoning, as well as their level of problem-posing skills in generating relevant questions, constructing solvable word problems, organizing numerical and contextual information, and aligning posed problems with intended mathematical concepts. A validated researcher-adapted instrument with high reliability was used to gather data, which were analyzed through mean, standard deviation, Spearman rank-order correlation, and simple linear regression. Findings revealed that the pupils demonstrated high levels of mathematical communication and problem-posing skills. The results further showed a significant strong positive relationship between the two variables. Mathematical communication also emerged as a significant predictor of problem-posing skills, indicating that pupils who expressed mathematical ideas more clearly were more likely to formulate coherent and meaningful mathematical problems. The study concludes that mathematical communication plays an important role in strengthening pupils’ ability to pose mathematical problems. It is therefore recommended that mathematics instruction in the elementary level give greater emphasis to explanation, reasoning, mathematical writing, and contextualized problem-posing activities to further enhance pupils’ higher-order mathematical performance.