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Predicting Development of Mathematical Word Problem Solving Across the Intermediate Grades.

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  • 1Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cognitive skills like language and nonverbal reasoning are key to solving word problems (WPS). Different skills support initial performance versus growth in WPS, especially with varying problem complexity.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Educational Psychology
  • Mathematics Education

Background:

  • Word problem solving (WPS) is crucial for applying mathematical knowledge.
  • Understanding the developmental trajectory of WPS skills is essential for effective instruction.
  • Identifying cognitive predictors can inform targeted interventions for students struggling with WPS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the predictors of word problem solving (WPS) development in intermediate grades.
  • To examine how different cognitive skills (computation, language, nonverbal reasoning, attention) influence initial WPS performance and growth.
  • To explore whether these predictors differ based on the complexity of the word problems.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study tracking 261 students from 3rd to 5th grade.
  • Assessed computation, language, nonverbal reasoning, and attentive behavior at the start of 3rd grade.
  • Measured WPS performance at low and high complexity levels four times throughout the study.

Main Results:

  • Language skills predicted initial WPS performance but not growth.
  • Computational skills predicted initial performance on low-complexity problems only.
  • Nonverbal reasoning predicted initial performance and growth for low-complexity WPS, and growth for high-complexity WPS.
  • Attentive behavior predicted growth in low-complexity WPS and initial performance in high-complexity WPS.

Conclusions:

  • Different cognitive resources act as limiting factors in WPS development depending on problem complexity.
  • While mathematical structures are constant, the cognitive demands of WPS vary with context.
  • Interventions should consider the specific cognitive skills needed for different types of word problems and stages of development.