Attendance in English and Math remedial classes: Its influence to students’ academic performance at CPU High School

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the influence of attendance in English and Math Remedial Classes on the academic performance of students at CPU High School during the school years, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. It specifically aimed to determine whether or not there is a relationship between the background characteristics and the academic performance variables. Likewise, it also aimed to determine the difference between those who attend the remedial classes and those who do not, according to their academic performance. The subjects of this study were 42 students who were enrolled in remedial classes for two consecutive school years, (WR group), and 42 students from the regular class, who were carefully chosen based on sex and intelligence quotient (NR group). The data were collected, coded, encoded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 10 for Windows Program. Descriptive analysis was employed to describe the background characteristic variables. Correlational analysis using the zero order correlation was used to determine the relationship between the background characteristic variables and the academic performance variables set at 5 percent level of significance. Chi - square and Cramer’s V were used to test for association between sex and academic performance of the WR group. T-test was used to determine the difference between the WR and the NR group according to their academic performance. Major Findings The majority of those enrolled in the English and Math Remedial Classes were males (54.8 percent), have a Grade VI General Average, Grade VI Grade in English and Grade VI Grade in Math ranging between 80 - 84.9, and have SCAT-English and SCAT - Math scores of 10 - 20. One half of the respondents have low average Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Sex was found to be significantly associated only with Weighted Grade in First Year, Final Grade in English I and II and Final Grade in Math I. Pearson’s r test for correlation showed that Intelligence Quotient (IQ) revealed low to slight significant correlation with the academic performance variables except in the Final Grade in English I Although low correlation was found between the scholastic profile (Grade VI General Average, Grade VI Grade in English and Grade VI Grade in Math) of those who attend the English and Math Remedial Classes and their academic performance variables, but the relationship is significant at 0.05 level. The SCAT -English and Math were not significantly correlated with the academic performance. However, SCAT -Math was found to be significantly related to Weighted Grade in Second Year and Final Grade in Math I and II. No significant difference in the Weighted Grade in First and Second Year, Final Grade in English I and Final Grade in Math II was noted between those who attended the remedial classes and those who did not attend. The respondents who did V not attend the remedial classes had significantly higher mean final grade in English II compared to the respondents who attended the remedial classes in English and Math. Higher mean grade in Math I, was noted in favor of the respondents who attend the English and Math Remedial Classes. Such difference is significant at 0.05 level. Conclusion The fact that the students who attended the English and Math Remedial Classes obtained grades which are not significantly different from the grades of those who do not attend the remedial classes, indicate that attendance to the English and Math Remedial Classes probably helped them improved in their academic performance. The students who attended the Remedial Classes, who were initially expected to fail, performed equally well as those who did not attend. The Remedial Classes in English and Math may have helped them. The attendance in the Remedial Class is not necessary to make them better than the good ones but in order for them to pass or be at par with those who do not attend. Surprisingly, it is interesting to note that the students who attend the English and Math Remedial Classes even performed significantly better than the students who do not attend. It maybe attributed to the attendance to the remedial classes. By the result of this study, the reinforcement theory is affirmed. Remedial class serves as a reinforcement to the students who did not make it in the entrance examination. Recommendations Since the students who attended the English and Math Remedial Classes performed equally well as those who did not attend, it is recommended that the Remedial Class Program of Central Philippine University High School be continued. Support from the University is recommended, in as much as the success of the Remedial Class Program will involve the following: a. training of additional teachers for remedial classes. b. a room for remedial classes only. c. replication of remedial class in other difficult subjects like Science. The fact that this study is relational, result cannot be attributed in a cause and effect relationship. The advantage of the students attending the remedial class cannot be totally attributed to its attendance to this program. So, in order to really find out whether the Remedial Class had caused the improvement, an experimental study similar to this is recommended. Lastly, by the result of this study, it is recommended that the English and Math Remedial Classes be institutionalized.