A study investigated the arithmetic performance of 197 students (grades 3-8) with mild disabilities and 937 controls and data are discussed in terms of student achievement and implications for standards. The mathematics vocabulary of students with mild disabilities was less developed and they had lower performance scores on computation. (Contains…

Comparison of the effectiveness of two computerized environments, Schemes for Problem Analysis (SPA) and Algebraic Proposer (AP), with two sixth-grade classes found that in solving easy word problems, both software systems were equally helpful, but in harder word problems, those students who learned with SPA experienced more success than those who…

A study found that among second-grade children with mathematics difficulties (n=49), children with both mathematics and reading difficulties were distinct from children with only mathematics difficulties, with the former being characterized by pervasive deficiencies in mathematical thinking and the latter by more specific deficits in problem…

Four middle school students with learning disabilities and low mathematics performance received schema strategy training in problem schemata (conceptual understanding) and problem solution (procedural understanding). Results indicated that the schema-based strategy was effective in substantially increasing the number of correctly solved word…

First of three experiments compared third graders who had studied worked, two-step arithmetic word problems to those learning through conventional problem solving. The former grouped showed superior test performance. In experiments two and three, children presented with integrated worked examples outperformed those presented with split-source…

Seeks to replicate and extend research on academic assignment preference by presenting high school students with control assignments containing eight mathematics reading problems, experimental assignments that contained eight equivalent problems, and three additional interspersed problems. Significantly more students ranked the experimental…

Many students with learning difficulties have trouble solving mathematical word problems. Presents DISCOVER, an intelligent tutoring system that teaches students this task with less failure and frustration. Features a review of literature on word problem instruction, an explanation of intelligent tutoring systems, and a description of DISCOVER.…

A study involving 91 children (ages 3-5) divided into more able and less able sub-groups found mathematical word problems containing inconsistent information were more difficult than those with consistent information. Word problems containing inadequate and redundant information were more difficult to explain than those items with just enough…

This study compared the effectiveness of 3 procedures for teaching 62 elementary students with learning disabilities to identify the correct algorithm in solving addition and subtraction word problems. The group receiving strategy teaching and sequencing practice problems and the group receiving strategy teaching only scored higher than…

This study examines the updating ability of poor or good problem solvers. Seventy-eight fourth-graders, 43 good and 35 poor arithmetic word problem-solvers, performed the Updating Test used in Palladino et al. [Palladino, P., Cornoldi, C., De Beni, R., and Pazzaglia F. (2002). Working memory and updating processes in reading comprehension. Memory…

This study forms the initial stage of a larger study that will examine the underlying reasons why Grade 10 students often produce equations that are inaccurate interpretations of mathematical word problems into algebraic relationships. Four case studies were undertaken to establish a socio-cultural perspective of the influences that could be…

This study presents problem solving strategies and processes of thinking of mathematically gifted elementary children with respect to non-routine word problems. The data stem from a university-based course, especially designed to foster gifted children, ages 6-10 years, through the enrichment of the elementary mathematics curriculum. Videotapes of…

Using multiple representations in mathematical contexts can enhance mathematical learning. Firstly how students use and conceptualize multiple representations in mathematics should be investigated. Because of this, it was aimed to examine how students use multiple representations in algebra word problems and what are the reasons behind their usage…

The difficulties that primary students experience when dealing with real-world related word problems have been discussed extensively. These difficulties are not only related to complex, non-routine problems but already occur with respect to routine problems that involve the application of a simple algorithm. Due to difficulties with the…

This article talks about the specific responsibility of teachers during an election year which is to develop citizenship and civic awareness in students. The author discusses some of her ideas in creating a "news habit" to integrate election information and issues into regular classes and routines.