The Arithmetic Teacher · 1985 · 11 citations · 0 references
EducationMathematicsMathematics EducationMathematics InstructionProblem-based LearningReading ComprehensionProblem SolvingProblem-solving StrategiesReal-world Problem SolvingMathematical Problem Solving InstructionMathematics Word Problem InstructionNational Assessment FrameworksStudent Thinking In MathematicsWord Problem Solving Difficulties
The ability of nine- and thirteen-year-olds to solve word problems has declined significantly since the First National Assessment of Educational Progress in 1972–73 (Carpenter et al. 1980). This drop is unfortunate, because learning to solve word problems prepares students to use mathematics in the real world. Teaching children to think logically about word problems is at the core of the professional responsibility of mathematics educators.