This paper is written as a guide for any instructor seeking to develop the mathematical modeling process or open-ended problem solving in their courses. We describe a pedagogical approach to create mini modeling problems to develop the modeling process. These are problems that fall between traditional homework problems and open-ended modeling…

Successful word problem performance often requires understanding the linguistic relations between characters and objects. However, the keyword method promotes associating specific words with mathematical operations while neglecting the situational context. Research has thoroughly investigated the detrimental effects of individuals associating…

Background: Performance in fraction word problems in primary school indicates that learners face challenges when working with fraction word problems, despite their frequent use of textbooks as learning materials. Aim: This article presents a comparative analysis of three commonly used Grade 6 mathematics textbooks, with the objective of evaluating…

Primary school textbooks can enhance the acquisition of arithmetic word problem solving skills by offering diverse problems based on their semantic-mathematical structure with targeted reasoning aids, including schematics highlighting their mathematical structure. While certain countries, such as the USA and Singapore, have made progress in…

This paper examined the ability of students to pose a problem in a free posing situation about sets in terms of the problem text, compatibility with mathematics principles, the problem type and structure, solvability, and mathematical complexity. Additionally, students were probed to determine the difficulties they encountered during the problem…

The development of a set of rubrics for teachers and curriculum designers interested in the quality of numeracy tasks emerged from our struggle with an attempt to clarify the distinction between numeracy and mathematics. Shifting our perspective from asking what numeracy and mathematics are to asking what they are about led to the…

The purpose of this study is to provide reliable evidence of the observable correlates of the Aha! moment and what this means for moving from surface to deep thinking. The study analyses facial expressions and body language from video recordings of students solving problems, followed by interviews, focus groups, and surveys. The problem-solving…

The mathematics education community has affirmed the importance of writing in the mathematics classroom for a long time (e.g., National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 2000, 2014), and many examples exist of writing strategies or activities in mathematics learning (e.g., Altieri, 2009; Bixby, 2018; Carter, 2009; Gunter, 2016; Linhart,…

Many challenges are identified when students solve mathematic problems especially in solving probability word problems. This study was conducted to identify the major challenges faced by matriculation college students while solving the probability of an event word problem. Seven matriculation college students were the sample for this case study.…

Multilingual learners (MLs) encounter key language features that influence their mathematical word problem-solving processes. Much of the readily available literature surrounding MLs' experiences in the mathematics classroom explores either their content knowledge or how language affects their mathematics achievement. Far less literature has…

This research examined the impact of the Cognitive-Communicative (C-C) model as a pedagogical strategy for teaching algebraic word problems (AWPs). The C-C model integrates structured dialogue, concept clarification, and systematic problem-solving steps to enhance students' comprehension and reasoning. Employing a mixed-methods framework, the…

Word problems are frequently used math problems that aim to bridge the gap between school mathematics and real life. As real-life situations usually involve many factors, word problems should not be oversimplified by focusing only on the numerical information provided by word problem statements. Furthermore, students should be expected to solve…

Students' difficulties in differentiating the direct proportion and inverse proportion problems cause interference. Proactive interference is the error that occurs when old information (concept of direct proportion) interferes with new information (concept of inverse proportion). In solving the problem of inverse proportion, students often use the…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) emphasizes the teaching of "Big Ideas" in mathematics. This study focuses on the part-part-whole (PPW) relationship as a crucial aspect of word problem solving involving addition and subtraction. This study, conducted in the United States, evaluated the effects of conceptual…

Typically, vocabulary instruction is associated as part of reading instruction. However, vocabulary instruction is also a necessary component of mathematics instruction. In fact, state and national standards (e.g., Common Core State Standards) require elementary students to communicate about mathematics to provide clear explanations, construct…