EXPLORING THE LINK BETWEEN MATHEMATICAL VOCABULARY MASTERY AND PROBLEM-SOLVING COMPETENCE AMONG GRADE 7 STUDENTS IN THE PHILIPPINE CONTEXT

Mathematical vocabulary plays a vital role in students’ ability to comprehend problem statements and apply appropriate strategies to solve mathematical tasks. This study investigated the relationship between mathematical vocabulary mastery and problem-solving competence among Grade 7 students in a private higher education institution. Employing a descriptive-correlational research design, the study involved 65 students who were assessed using validated questionnaires measuring both mathematical vocabulary proficiency and problem-solving skills. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to treat the gathered data. The results revealed that the majority of the students performed at the Approaching Proficiency level for both mathematical vocabulary mastery and problem-solving competence. Moreover, there is a strong, significant positive correlation between mathematical vocabulary mastery and problem-solving competence. These findings highlight the critical need for integrating explicit mathematical vocabulary instruction into classroom teaching and strengthening students’ understanding of mathematical language to improve students’ problem comprehension, promote higher-order thinking, and overall mathematical achievement. The study further recommends the development of instructional interventions that combine vocabulary development with problem-based learning to bridge performance gaps and foster mathematical confidence among learners. Article visualizations: