Speed Meets Accuracy: Effectiveness of Left to Right Method on Mental Addition and Subtraction Skills of Elementary Students

Purpose of the study: This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Left-to-Right Method on mental addition and subtraction skills of Grade 2 pupils. It aims to determine if this method leads to better performance in these operations compared to traditional teaching methods. Methodology: A quantitative experimental design was employed, which involved 40 elementary students who were randomly assigned to an experimental group that used the left-to-right method and a control group that remained using traditional methods. Pre- and post-tests were administered to evaluate pupils’ performance levels, and a teacher acceptance questionnaire was used to gather feedback on the method's effectiveness and ease of implementation. Main Findings: The experimental group displayed significant improvement in mental addition and subtraction skills, with a mean difference of 6.85 (p-value = 0.00), while the control group showed minimal change in performance. Teachers' feedback was positive, indicating that the Left-to-Right Method is easy to explain, compatible with the curriculum, and addresses learning and teaching challenges. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study contributes to the limited research on the Left to Right Method as an alternative to traditional methods for teaching mental addition and subtraction. It underscores the method's ability to reduce cognitive load, making mental addition and subtraction easier and more efficient, serving as a new method of teaching early mathematics.