Abstract

• The major purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of guided discovery method in teaching mathematics at the middle school level. This study was conducted with quantitative research method. Quantitatively, an experimental study was used to compare the students’ mathematics achievement between the control and experimental groups. The pretest-posttest control group design was used in this study. In this experimental study, the subjects were Grade Seven students from two schools; No. (2) Basic Education High School, Mayangone and No. (2) Basic Education High School, Insein from Yangon Region. The subjects, (60) Grade Seven students, were chosen from each school. The students from each school were randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control. The subjects from the experimental group were taught by using guided discovery method. The subjects from the control group were taught by using formal teaching. Before the treatment period, a pretest was administered to measure the basic mathematical knowledge of the selected participants. After the treatment period, a posttest was administered to two groups. Independent samples “t” test was used to analyze whether there were significant differences between two groups. The results showed that the students who received a treatment by using guided discovery method demonstrated significantly better than those who received a treatment by using formal teaching. The mean score and t test at No. (2) Basic Education High School, Mayangone was (t = 8.970, df = 58, MD = 4.8, p < .001) and No. (2) Basic Education High School, Insein was (t = 10.480, df = 58, MD = 7.7, p < .001). Therefore, research findings proved that guided discovery method has positive contribution to the mathematics teaching and learning at the middle school level.