Mathematics Performance of Grade 4 Learners with Learning Difficulties in the Bauang District: A Basis for Proposed Action Plan Framework

Mathematics remains a persistent challenge in basic education, particularly for learners with learning difficulties who often struggle to master foundational competencies. This descriptive study assessed the mathematics performance of Grade 4 learners with learning difficulties and examined the factors contributing to their academic challenges, with the goal of developing a targeted action plan. A total of 120 Grade 4 learners identified with learning difficulties from twelve public elementary schools in the Bauang District participated in the study. Data were collected using a researcher-made Mathematics Performance Assessment aligned with the Department of Education Grade 4 Most Essential Learning Competencies, supplemented by teacher observation checklists and a survey questionnaire on cognitive, instructional, socio-emotional, and environmental factors. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, and mean, were employed to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the majority of learners performed at low (48.3%) and very low (26.7%) performance levels, with only 5% achieving high performance. Learners experienced the greatest difficulty in problem solving (M = 1.74) and division of whole numbers (M = 1.89), while place value and addition were relatively more manageable. Cognitive factors such as difficulty retaining procedural steps (M = 3.52), instructional factors including the need for additional examples (M = 3.63), socio-emotional factors like perceiving mathematics as overwhelmingly difficult (M = 3.51), and environmental factors related to home support collectively influenced learners' mathematical performance. Based on these results, a comprehensive action plan was developed addressing four key objectives: improving basic skills mastery through remedial sessions, strengthening conceptual understanding using visual aids and manipulatives, reducing mathematics anxiety through supportive classroom activities, and enhancing home support through parent orientation. The study emphasizes the multidimensional nature of learning difficulties in mathematics and provides evidence-informed strategies for teachers, parents, and school administrators to support struggling learners at this critical foundational stage.