Abstract
This study investigated the effectiveness of responsive pedagogy in Grade 5 Mathematics, with emphasis on enhancing students' mastery of fractions through real-world problems, problem-solving strategies, and student-centered learning. Anchored on a descriptive research design, data were gathered from 40 Grade 5 students at Francisco E. Barzaga Memorial School, City Schools Division of Dasmariñas, during the school year 2024–2025. A teacher-made test and one-sample t-tests were employed to determine the significance of pedagogical approaches in achieving lesson objectives. Findings revealed that real-world problems significantly improved comprehension of fractions (M = 4.15, t = 2.476, p = 0.019), highlighting their role in contextualizing mathematical concepts. Problem-solving strategies yielded the strongest alignment with effective mathematics instruction (M = 4.03, t = 4.760, p = 0.000), reinforcing their contribution to critical thinking and analytical reasoning. Student-centered learning approaches also proved statistically effective (M = 3.88, t = 2.4603, p = 0.013), underscoring the importance of active participation, autonomy, and collaboration in mathematics learning. Overall, the results confirmed that responsive pedagogy has a substantial impact on teaching effectiveness and student achievement. The study recommends the integration of culturally relevant real-world applications, structured problem-solving tasks, and student-centered instructional strategies into classroom practice. To sustain these gains, the researcher proposes the development of an instructional manual and professional development toolkit to guide teachers in implementing responsive pedagogy effectively in elementary mathematics.
