Creating Educational Opportunities for All: Strategies for Improving Multi-Step Problem-Solving Skills of Elementary Students

• In Event: Research on Inclusive Math and Literacy Instructional Practices in Special Education

Abstract

In the elementary grades, students must solve word problems to demonstrate mathematics competency. However, many students are inadequately prepared to solve word problems, especially multi-step word problems involving two or more steps. We implemented a randomized control trial to determine the effectiveness of a word-problem intervention for fourth graders experiencing mathematics difficulty (MD). Eligible students (n = 132) received the word-problem intervention with pre-algebraic reasoning (n = 90) or were assigned to the control group (n = 42). The 12-week intervention included 36 individual lessons, implemented three times per week, for 35 min. Following, intervention students demonstrated improved word-problem performance over the control group. In this presentation, we share essential components of multi-step word-problem instruction for educators.

Authors

• Katherine A. Berry, University of Texas at Austin

• Sarah R. Powell, University of Texas at Austin

• Tessa Arsenault, University of Texas at Austin

• Danielle Lariviere, University of Texas at Austin

• Alison Hardy, University of Texas at Austin

• Shamecca Perkins, University of Texas at Austin