Objectives of the study were: (1) To prepare a buttery of diagnostic test for locating the learning deficiencies in fractions of students in standard V, VI, VII and VIII. (2) To locate the learning deficiencies in fraction of students in standard V, VI, VII and VIII. (3) To prepare self- instructional material for overcoming the learning deficiencies of definitions and operations in fraction of students in standard VIII. (4) To study the effect of self-instructional material on the achievement in fraction of student in standard VIII. (5) To study the effect of self-instructional materials on the achievement in mathematics of students in standard VIII.

Hypotheses were: (1) There will be significant difference in achievement in fraction of the students in standard VIII who will use the self-instructional materials and who will not use self-instructional materials. (2) There will be significant difference in achievement in mathematics of the students in standard VIII who will use the self-instructional materials and who will not use self-instructional materials.

For survey 5% of English medium schools from Pune were selected randomly. Out of these, 10% of the students from standard V, VI, VII and VIII were selected randomly. For experimental part pretest-posttest control design was selected. Section A and Section B of class VIII of Shri Shivajis preparatory Military School, Pune were selected randomly.

Tools used for study were Naphade’s non-verbal test of Intelligence, Diagnostic test A and diagnostic test B and achievement test of the school was used to measure achievement in mathematics before the pretest and after the posttest.Self- instructional materials were prepared to overcome the learning deficiencies in fraction.

The methods used in the present study were survey and experimental.For experimental part pretest-posttest control design was selected. Section A and Section B of class VIII of Shri Shivajis preparatory Military School, Pune were selected randomly. 

The findings were: (1) Learners from standard V found the following definitions in fraction difficulties: (a) Fraction, (b) Decimal fraction, and (c) Equivalent fraction. (2) More than 90% of learners from standard V could not add or subtract fractions with like denominators and could not solve word problems based on it. (3) The learners from standard VI had the following difficulties along with difficulties mentioned above for the learners of standard V: Recurring decimal; operations- addition and subtraction of decimal fractions and multiplication and division of two decimal fractions. (4) The learners from standard VII and VIII had following learning deficiencies: Decimal fraction and mixed fraction; operation- Addition and subtraction of two fractions with like denominators and unlike denominators, multiplication and division of fractions and decimal fractions; Application of word problems on percentage. (5) The learners of standard VIII had learning deficiencies in mixed operations involving three fractions and four factions. (6) The experiment pointed out that the self-instructional materials prepared are useful for standard VIII learners in increasing significantly the achievement in fraction and also the achievement in mathematics.