Abstrakt

COMPREHENSION & VISUALIZATION - Teaching Students to Solve Word Problems

Anton J. H. Boonen and Jelle Jolles

In this feasibility study the authors describe and evaluate a word problem solving instruction, based on the principles underlying instructional programs like Solve it! and schema-based instruction. This instruction is executed during a five-week intervention period in a group of four less successful second grade word problem solvers. The effectiveness of the word problem solving instruction is reported by means of students’ performances on combine, change and compare problems before and after the intervention period, as well as by examining whether they executed the solution steps of the instruction correctly. This feasibility study provides important insights with regard to varying ways in which a word problem solving instruction can influence the solution strategies and performances of students who perform poorly on word problems.