World Education Connect Multidisciplinary e-Publication, Vol. VI, Issue II (February 2026), p.32
LUVIE PEREZ BELBIS
Teacher II / Tala Senior High School
Abstract
This study examined the learning outcomes and struggles of Grade 11 students in General Mathematics as a basis for developing an appropriate instructional intervention. Employing a comparative-descriptive research design, the study involved eighty-four (84) Grade 11 students enrolled at Tala Senior High School during School Year 2024–2025. A validated researcher-made questionnaire was used to assess students’ self-reported level of learning across key General Mathematics topics and the challenges they encountered during instruction. The instrument underwent expert validation and reliability testing, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .771, indicating acceptable internal consistency.
Findings revealed that students generally demonstrated satisfactory learning across most General Mathematics topics, with an overall composite mean of 3.00. Learners showed the highest level of mastery in business mathematics, particularly in Simple Interest (M = 3.31, SD = 0.76) and Compound Interest (M = 3.23, SD = 0.83), both interpreted as excellent. These results suggest that lessons closely connected to real-life financial contexts promote better understanding and engagement. Conversely, lower mean scores were recorded in Rational Functions (M = 2.73, SD = 0.85) and Piece-wise Functions (M = 2.79, SD = 0.87), indicating that students experienced greater difficulty with abstract concepts requiring higher-order reasoning, symbolic manipulation, and interpretation.
In terms of struggles, students reported moderate levels of difficulty in learning General Mathematics, with a composite mean of 2.75. The most prominent challenges involved solving multi-step problems (M = 3.04, SD = 0.63), recalling and applying formulas (M = 2.98, SD = 0.69), and performing accurate computations (M = 2.90, SD = 0.73). Affective factors such as anxiety, loss of confidence, and discouragement when committing errors were also evident, indicating that students’ mathematical difficulties are influenced by both cognitive and emotional dimensions. Notably, students reported less difficulty in following their teachers’ explanations, suggesting that learning challenges were more closely related to internal processing and application rather than instructional clarity.
Gender-based analysis revealed a significant difference in students’ assessment of learning on General Mathematics topics, with male students reporting slightly higher levels of learning than female students (t = 4.06, p = .047). However, no significant gender difference was found in the level of perceived struggles. Similarly, analysis by academic strand showed no significant differences in either learning outcomes or struggles, indicating that difficulties in General Mathematics are experienced across disciplines.
Based on the findings, a Strategic Intervention Material (SIM) in booklet form was developed to address identified learning gaps. The SIM provides scaffolded instruction, contextualized problem-solving activities, and confidence-building exercises designed to strengthen both conceptual understanding and learner confidence. The study concludes that targeted, learner-centered interventions are essential in improving students’ mastery of abstract mathematical concepts and reducing learning difficulties in General Mathematics.
Keywords: General Mathematics, learning difficulties, Intervention Material
