Visual Representations and Relational Statement Understanding in Second and Third Graders' Word-Problem Structure Performance

• In Event: Division C Section 1C: Mathematical Skills and Problem-Solving in the Elementary Grades

Abstract

We examined the role of visual representations and knowledge of relational statements on children’s understanding of the structure of compare word problems. Second and third graders (N = 82) were randomly assigned to three representation conditions: (a) abstract pictures; realistic pictures that were (b) relevant, and (c) irrelevant to the story described in the problem. On the Problem Structure Task, children were presented a compare problem containing inconsistent language structures and judged whether a visual representation matched its structure. On the Relational Statement Task, children judged whether two statements describing an additive comparison between two sets were equivalent in meaning. Representation type had no effect on performance, whereas knowledge of relational language accounted for significant variance in children’s problem structure understanding.

Authors

• Helena P. Osana, Concordia University - Montreal

• Anne Lafay, Université Savoie Mont Blanc

• Caitlin Macevicius, Concordia University - Montreal

• Vera Wagner, Concordia University - Montreal