ENHANCING GRADE 2 MATH COUNTING SKILLS USING C.O.U.N.T.: CREATING OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING WITH NUMBERS THROUGH FLASHCARDS AND POPSICLE STICKS

One of the challenges elementary learners face is developing strong counting skills. This quantitative-descriptive study aimed to determine the improvement of the learners' counting skills upon the implementation of Project C.O.U.N.T., an intervention using flashcards and manipulating objects to enhance the counting skills of Grade 2 learners. The study utilized researcher-designed pre-test and post-test questionnaires, administered to 30 Grade 2 learners from Clementa F. Royo Elementary School during the 2024-2025 academic year. A researcher-designed pre-test and post-test were used to measure students’ counting proficiency before and after the intervention. Pre-test results indicated that the students’ counting skills were below expectations in counting. However, the post-test scores demonstrated significant improvement, with the students' scores increasing showing that the Project C.O.U.N.T intervention significantly enhanced the students' counting skills. A paired sample t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores, t (29) = 17.016, p < .001, indicating a substantial gain in counting skills. The results were statistically significant, supporting the conclusion that Project C.O.U.N.T. intervention proved to be an effective strategy for fostering significant gains in counting ability, number concept understanding, and problem-solving accuracy, all of which contribute to the broader goal of mathematical proficiency. The findings suggest that integrating such intervention into elementary education could lead to long-term improvements in students' foundational math skills. Keywords: Quantitative-descriptive, Counting Skills, Grade-2 learners, Math Activities, Philippines