Abakada to Work for Words: Engaging Manipulative Activities to Enhance Filipino Vocabulary of Grade 1 Pupils

This action research investigated the impact of using cube-based activities on developing the Filipino vocabulary of 1st graders in Casa Amazing Grace School. The researcher followed a dual-method approach in this research. The research used quantitative analysis for pre-test and post-test scores exercises, using descriptive statistics and a t-test, revealed a significant positive effect of the intervention. The participants of the study represented (24) male and female pupils. After conducting the pre-posttest, the researcher analyzed the collected data by using qualitative data, along with the quantitative pre-test and post-test results. The computed mean score increased from 7.43 in the pretest to 9.48 in the posttest, showing a notable improvement in academic performance. The standard deviation also decreased from 1.72 to 0.75, indicating that the posttest scores were more consistent across the group. Furthermore, the paired sample ttest yielded a t-value of 7.10 with a p-value less than 0.0001, which is far below the conventional threshold of 0.05. This result strongly suggests that the observed improvement is not due to random chance but rather to the effectiveness of the intervention. Therefore, it can be concluded that the intervention had a statistically significant and positive impact on the pupils’ academic outcomes. The use of cube-based activities was anchored on Multiple Intelligences Theory, which emphasizes that children learn in different ways — linguistic, visual-spatial, kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. The qualitative analysis further supported these findings. Thematic analysis of observational notes and teacher reflections revealed four key themes: strengthens reading fluency, builds Filipino vocabulary, promotes enjoyable and collaborative learning, and enhances instructional strategies. These themes underscore how the intervention not only improved vocabulary skills but also fostered a more interactive, supportive, and effective classroom environment.