<![CDATA[This study focuses on the condition of seventh-grade students at a junior high school in West Java, where most students have not mastered integer multiplication skills, although these skills should have been acquired in Phase C of elementary education. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of Jarimatika and mnemonic strategies in improving integer multiplication skills. The Jarimatika strategy emphasizes a concrete approach through the use of fingers, while the mnemonic strategy focuses on memory reinforcement through association and repetition. This study employed a mixed methods approach with a sequential explanatory design involving 71 seventh-grade students divided into two groups through random assignment. Multiplication skills were measured based on accuracy and speed. The results showed that both strategies effectively improved students’ multiplication skills, with Cohen’s d values of 0.48 and 0.52, respectively, indicating moderate effect sizes. ANCOVA results, controlling for initial ability as a covariate, showed that the calculated F value (0.378) was lower than the critical F value (3.13), indicating no significant difference between the two strategies. Interviews and observations revealed three main contributing factors: the use of fingers as a visual and kinesthetic aid in Jarimatika, the use of songs and the SaKaTa phrase in the mnemonic strategy, and the classroom learning environment. In conclusion, both strategies are equally effective and can be used as alternative approaches for teaching integer multiplication at the junior high school level.]]>
