![]() Finally, we propose the hypotheses and causal mechanism for the present study, which addresses the potential connections among equal-sign understanding, equation solving, and word-problem solving.īefore proceeding, we comment on terminology. We then transition to understanding the equal sign, explaining its relevance to word problems, and summarizing previous research on instruction designed to promote a relational understanding of equation solving. In this introduction, we explain why word problems represent a challenging domain for students with MD and summarize prior work on the efficacy of schema-broadening word-problem instruction, which incorporates equations to represent the underlying structure of problems. ![]() The purpose of the present study was to assess the contribution of equal-sign instruction beyond word-problem tutoring on equal-sign understanding and word-problem skill of third-grade students with MD. Equal-sign instruction may alter how typically-developing students understand and use the equal sign (e.g., Rittle-Johnson & Alibali, 1999), but no study has examined effects for students with mathematics difficulty (MD) or how equal-sign instruction contributes to word-problem skill for students with or without MD. A connection between equal-sign understanding and word-problem solving may exist because students often spontaneously or are taught to generate and solve a number sentence to represent information in problem narratives (e.g., Carpenter, Moser, & Bebout, 1988 Fuchs, Seethaler et al., 2008). This misinterpretation may lead to difficulty in solving word problems and equations ( Lindvall & Ibarra, 1980 McNeil & Alibali, 2005). When compared at posttest to 3 rd-grade students without MD on equal sign tasks and open equations, only combined tutoring students with MD performed comparably.Įlementary school students often understand the equal sign (=) as an operational symbol when it should be viewed as a relational symbol ( Ginsburg, 1977). On certain forms of word problems, combined tutoring but not word-problem tutoring alone produced better improvement than control. Combined tutoring produced better improvement on equal sign tasks and open equations compared to the other 2 conditions. Third-grade students with MD ( n = 80) were assigned to word-problem tutoring, word-problem tutoring plus equal-sign instruction (combined) tutoring, or no-tutoring control. The present study assessed the efficacy of equal-sign instruction within word-problem tutoring. ![]() Research indicates equal-sign instruction can alter how typically-developing students use the equal sign, but no study has examined effects for students with mathematics difficulty (MD) or how equal-sign instruction contributes to word-problem skill for students with or without MD. Such misunderstanding is problematic because solving equations with missing numbers may be important for higher-order mathematics skills including word problems.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |