USING THE ABACUS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES BASIC THREE (3) PUPILS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES HAVE WITH PLACE VALUE OF NUMBERS IN EXPERIMENTAL SCHOOL IN BOLGATANGA MUNICIPALITY, GHANA

This study adopted the action research design to assist Basic Three (3) pupils with learning difficulties in the Zaare Experimental Primary School of the BolgatangaMunicipality to identify the Place Values of given numbers, using the Abacus. The study was carried out in order to enhance the Pupils’ understanding of the concept of place value, the importance of Place Value in learning other concepts in mathematics, and also how the Abacus could be used in teaching Place Value as a concept in mathematics. To achieve this purpose, the study used the Abacus to help improve the pupils’ understanding of the concept of Place Value, by engaging the pupils in Pre-Test and Post-Test intervention activities. Purposive as well as census sampling techniques were selected and used as the study was limited to only Basic 3 pupils who had difficulties in identifying the Place Value of given numbers. In all, thirty-five (35) pupils comprising eighteen (18) boys and seventeen (17) girls from the sample groups were used. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. Pre-test, observation, interview questionnaire, and post-test were the research instruments used to gather reliable data for the study. The pupils were also found to have developed a favorable attitude towards mathematics. Recommendations were made with regard to teachers' and pupils" attitudes in the teaching of mathematics at the basic school level, and the use of appropriate Teaching and Learning Resources (TLRs) to teach during mathematics lessons to make the lessons interactive