Using the Lattice Method to help Basic Six (6) Pupils of Zogbeli Primary School in Ghana to understand the Concept of Multiplying Multi-digit Multiplicands
Nashiru Abdulai 
Issue: Vol.5 No.2 Issue Article 8 pp.160 -174
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2024528 | Published online 23rd February, 2024
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This study emerged as a result of the inability of Basic Six (6) at Zogbeli Primary School pupils in Tamale, Northern Region Ghana to understand the concept of multiplying multi-digit multiplicands. To address this problem, the action research methodology was used to provide an immediate solution. A simple random sample of 45 pupils from a total of 90 pupils of a mixed class of P.6A and P.6B was chosen to participate in the study. A Pre-test consisting of 10 test items was administered to assess the pupils’ initial understanding of the concept. The results showed that the majority of the pupils scored poorly, with a mean score of 1.51 and a standard deviation of 0.91. An intervention using the lattice method for five days was then implemented. The lattice method is a hands-on learning method that involves both physical movement and mental engagement. It was hypothesized that this method would help the pupils to develop a deeper understanding of the concept of multiplying multi-digit multiplicands. After the three-day intervention, a Post-test was administered to assess the pupils’ understanding of the concept of multiplying multi-digit multiplicands and also to assess how effective the intervention was in the study. The results showed a significant improvement, with a mean score of 8.11 and a standard deviation of 2.54. Additionally, 93.4% of the pupils scored above the average mark of 5. The findings of this study suggest that lattice technology is an effective method for teaching the concept of multiplying multi-digit multiplicands. This method is engaging and easy to understand, and it can help pupils develop a deeper understanding of the mathematical concepts involved. In conclusion, the use of lattice technology has improved the learning experiences of Basic Six pupils at Zogbeli Primary School. Pupils now have a practical method for solving multi-digit multiplication problems, and they have a better understanding of the mathematical concepts involved.
Keywords: Action Research, Pre-test, Post-test, Paired Sample t-test, Lattice technology
Adeyinka, R. O., and F. O. Olatunde. “The Effectiveness of the Lattice Method in Teaching Multiplication of Whole Numbers to Primary School Pupils in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.” British Journal of Education 2, no. 4 (2012): 12–21.
Aydogdu, M., and H. Aydogdu. “The Effect of Using the Lattice Method on Students’ Achievement in Multiplication.” International Journal of Mathematical Education 4, no. 2 (2013): 106–12.
Baddeley, A. D., and C. J. Hitch. “Working Memory.” In The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, edited by G. A. Milton and W. E. Bower, 8:47–89. Cambridge, Massachusetts, : Academic Press, 1974.
Belbase, S. “Construction of Mathematical ‘Self’ as an Edge Behaviour.” In Program and Abstracts: First International Conference on Transformative Education Research and Sustainable Development, edited by R.K. Dhakal, B. P. Pant, K.D. Khadka, and A Manandhar, 145–46. Dhulikhel, Nepal: Kathmandu University School of Education, 2016.
Ben-Shlomo, Y., S. Brookes, and M. Hickman. Lecture Notes: Epidemiology, Evidence-Based Medicine and Public Health . 6th ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.
Brown E. “Discovery Learning in the Classroom.” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305174476, 2016.
Brown, R., and M. Jones. “ Multiplication Pedagogy: A Comparative Study of Lattice and Traditional Methods .” Journal of Educational Research 42, no. 2 (2017): 189–211.
Bruner, J. Child’s Talk: Learning to Use Language. . New York: Norton Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education The University of Chicago. , 1983.
Chin, Kin Eng, Fui Fong Jiew, and Elvent Taliban. “Conceptions in Making Sense of Multiplication.” EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 15, no. 12 (July 5, 2019). https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/105480.
Cochran-Smith, Marilyn, and Elizabeth Stringer Keefe. “Strong Equity: Repositioning Teacher Education for Social Change.” Teachers College Record 124, no. 3 (2022): 9–41.
Cohen, L., L. Manion, and K. Morrison. Research Methods in Education. 6th ed. London and New York, NY: Routledge Falmer, 2007.
Even, R., and D. L. Ball. The Professional Education and Development of Teachers of Mathematics: The 15th ICMI Study. New York: Springer, 2010.
Fisher, K., and R. Phelps. “Recipe or Performing Art? Challenge Convention for Writing Action Research Theses .” Action Research 4, no. 2 (2006): 143–64.
Ilukena, Alex Mbonabi, Christina Nyarai Utete, and Chosi Kasanda. “Strategies Used by Grade 6 Learners in the Multiplication of Whole Numbers in Five Selected Primary Schools in the Kavango East and West Regions.” International Education Studies 13, no. 3 (2020): 65–78.
Jordan, N. C., and B. Rittle-Johnson. “The Role of Visual-Spatial Processing in Early Mathematics Development.” Developmental Psychology 45, no. 5 (2009): 1489–1502.
Lankshear, Colin, and Michele Knobel. A Handbook for Teacher Research. McGraw-Hill Education (UK), 2004.
Larsson, Kerstin. “ Students’ Understandings of Multiplication .” Stockholm University, 2016.
Meese, R. L. Teaching Learners with Mild Disabilities Integrating Research and Practice. 2nd ed. Singapore: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, 2001.
Mocorro, R. “Lattice Method In Polynomial Multiplication.” Asian Academic Research Journal of Multidisciplinary 4, no. 8 (2017).
Narayanan, Mysore. “Assessment of Discovery Approach.” In 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, 25.225.1-25.225.27. ASEE Conferences, 2012. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2–20985.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. “Focus in High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Sense Making.” https://www.nctm.org/Standards-and-Positions/Focus-in-High-School-Mathematics, 2009.
Paivio, A. Mental Representations: A Dual Coding Approach. . Oxford: Oxford University Press., 1986.
Park, J., and T. Nunes. The Development of the Concept of Multiplication? Department of Psychology. Oxford: Oxford Brookes University, 2001.
Piaget, Jean, and Margaret Trans Cook. The Development of Object Concept. Basic Books, 1954.
Rebekawati, Anita. “The Effectiveness of Lattice Multiplication for Improving Multiplication Test Scores among Grade Six Pupils in Katsina State, Nigeria.” International Journal of Research in Education and Development 6, no. 1 (2017): 45–51.
Smith, A., B. Johnson, and C. Williams. “Visualizing Success: The Lattice Method in Elementary Mathematics Education .” Journal of Mathematics Education 20, no. 3 (2015): 123–45.
Taylor, Helen. “1 How Children Learn Mathematics And Implications for Teaching.” Learning and Teaching Mathematics 0-8, 2013.
Thompson, A., and R. Davis. Teaching Mathematics Through Play in the Early Years. 3rd ed. Routledge, 2014.
Vygotsky, L. S. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978.
Whitacre, I., and S. D. Nickerson. “Investigating the Improvement of Prospective Elementary Teachers’ Number Sense in Reasoning about Fraction Magnitude.” Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education 19, no. 1 (2016): 57–77.
Nashiru Abdulai is a dedicated Mathematics Educator with a strong academic background and a passion for teaching. He currently serves as a Mathematics Lecturer at the Tamale College of Education in Tamale, Ghana. He earned his Bachelor of Education in Mathematics from the University of Education Winneba, Ghana in 2009, laying the foundation for his commitment to education. Furthering his expertise, Nashiru pursued a Master of Science in Industrial Mathematics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2015. His postgraduate studies equipped him with advanced knowledge and skills in the application of mathematics to real-world industrial problems. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the practical applications of mathematics and encourages critical thinking skills among his students. Nashiru is deeply involved in shaping the next generation of educators. Beyond the classroom, Nashiru is engaged in ongoing research projects aimed at enhancing mathematics education methodologies. His commitment to academic excellence and his contributions to the field make him a valuable asset to the educational community.
Abdulai, Nashiru.“Using the Lattice Method to help Basic Six (6) Pupils of Zogbeli Primary School in Ghana to understand the Concept of Multiplying Multi-digit Multiplicands.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 5, no.2 (2024): 160-174. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2024528
© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
