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Mathematical Reading: Investigating the Reading Comprehension Strategies Implemented by Middle School Students

• Published: 14 May 2022
• Volume 20 , pages 187–213, ( 2022 )

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• Gregory Beaudine   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7223-1412 1  

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Mathematical literacy is a keystone of contemporary mathematics education research. We collectively, thoroughly explore this set of literacy practices from the perspectives of mathematical writing and mathematical discussion. Mathematical literacy practices, of course, include a third component—reading—which takes a number of forms. This document explores the mathematical reading processes of 22 middle school students, identifying the strategies most and least used by these students, and the ways in which strategy implementation aids their reading process. From this study, we can begin to identify how this knowledge can be used by teachers, curriculum designers, and educational researchers in an effort to aid their students.

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Appendix 1 – Three-page reading passage from enVision Mathematics Gr. 7.

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Beaudine, G. Mathematical Reading: Investigating the Reading Comprehension Strategies Implemented by Middle School Students. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 20 (Suppl 1), 187–213 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-022-10287-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-022-10287-1

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The Impact of Reading Comprehension on Mathematics Word Problem Solving

2019, Education and New Developments 2019

Word problem constitutes an important part of the mathematics curriculum of the elementary school. Different studies have argued that the understanding of the problem is the most difficult part for students, because of the lack of understanding of the ‘keywords’ used in the problem contexts. Thus, because the process of word problem solving is related to reading comprehension, as a most important factor in this study it was examined the impact of reading comprehension for improving student’s skills for mathematics word problem-solving. Participants in the study were fifty-fourth-grade students and their teachers. The methodology of the study is the collaborative action research. The researchers (authors) have worked together with two class teachers and have used the Reciprocal Teaching method as an intervention for eight weeks aimed to improve the student's skills for reading comprehension. The Reciprocal Teaching method includes prediction, clarifying, questioning and summarizi...

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The Mathematics Problem-Solving Skills and Reading Comprehension of Junior High School Students of the Palo 19 National High School

• Jane Jumawin

INTRODUCTION

Mathematical problem solving is a process that involves a set of factors and tasks to achieve a defined goal. It depends on many skills and factors which therefore makes it challenging both to learn and to teach. For a closer view, one identified reason for poor performance in problem-solving of Grade IX students of Palo 19 National High School was their poor understanding or comprehension of the mathematical terms. The students most of the time got very low scores in math quizzes that involves an understanding of the word problems. Problem-solving and reading comprehension are two skills that should be developed in students to improve their performance in math.

This action research was purely descriptive which uses pre-test/post-test results and survey results.

Table 1. Thirty-Item Pre-Test and Post-Test Results in Problem Solving

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DISCUSSIONS

This result is reflecting a very poor performance in Mathematics problem solving which can be due to poor comprehension of problem-solving vocabulary. On the other hand, the post-test revealed a 31% increase in the number of examinees who passed the test. The 9 passers in the pre-test had gone up to 26 which were 48%. Moreover, the table above presents the results of students' attitude in problem-solving. It shows students’ perception of their own ability to solve word problems. Results for students' attitude survey showed that 35 out of 54 pupils do not know how to get the correct answer in solving word problems. Twenty-six students also disagreed that they usually know all the vocabulary words used in the problem.

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Home ⇛ universal journal of educational research ⇛ vol. 1 no. 1 (2022), the gap between comprehension level and problem-solving skills in learning mathematics.

Maximo V. Hijada Jr. | Melodina L. Dela Cruz

This study was conducted to determine the degree of relationship that exists between learners’ level of comprehension and solving skills on mathematical word problems of grades four to six learners in Kang–iras Elementary School. It attempted to establish a relationship between the learners’ level of comprehension and solving skills. This research study employed the correlational method of research. This research design is appropriate for this research because its primary purpose is to determine the degree of the relationship between the learners’ level of comprehension and solving skills of the word problems. Lomax and Li (2009) stressed that correlational research investigates a range of factors, including the nature of the relationship between two or more variables and the theoretical model that might be developed and tested to explain these resultant correlations. From the gathered data, the following findings are, the comprehension level of the learners in Kangiras Elementary School being studied is at Frustration Level. For each specific skill, only in the literal interpretation skill the learners had been classified at instructional level while for the other two skills, the learners are at frustration level. Majority of the learners are at a frustration level. The level of word problem solving skills in mathematics of the respondents is classified as non-proficient. All three skills indicators used revealed that the respondents are non-proficient. The learners have not mastered word problem-solving. Comprehension skills could not predict the mathematical word problem-solving skills of the learners. There is weak correlation between the variables and the relationship between the two variables is insignificant. There are other factors affecting word problem skills among learners. Some are identified as follows: instructional strategies and methods, learners’ motivation and concentration, learner’s arithmetic ability, learning facilities or instructional materials, curriculum and teacher’s competency. From the findings of the study, it was established that comprehension level is not an indicator of the learners’ solving skills and there are other factors that could affect solving mathematical word problems. Solving skill is independent of comprehension skills and the variables studied are not related. Thus, it can be concluded that comprehension is not the only factor that could affect word problem-solving skills but there are more other factors and these factors may be assessed and taken into consideration.

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Intervention based on science of reading and math boosts comprehension and word problem-solving skills

by University of Kansas

New research from the University of Kansas has found that an intervention based on the science of reading and math effectively helped English learners boost their comprehension, visualize and synthesize information, and make connections that significantly improved their math performance.

The intervention , performed for 30 minutes twice a week for 10 weeks with 66 third-grade English language learners who displayed math learning difficulties, improved students' performance when compared to students who received general instruction. This indicates that emphasizing cognitive concepts involved in the science of reading and math are key to helping students improve, according to researchers.

"Word problem-solving is influenced by both the science of reading and the science of math. Key components include number sense, decoding, language comprehension and working memory. Utilizing direct and explicit teaching methods enhances understanding and enables students to effectively connect these skills to solve math problems . This integrated approach ensures that students are equipped with necessary tools to navigate both the linguistic and numerical demands of word problems," said Michael Orosco, professor of educational psychology at KU and lead author of the study.

The intervention incorporates comprehension strategy instruction in both reading and math, focusing and decoding, phonological awareness, vocabulary development, inferential thinking, contextualized learning and numeracy.

"It is proving to be one of the most effective evidence-based practices available for this growing population," Orosco said.

The study, co-written with Deborah Reed of the University of Tennessee, was published in the journal Learning Disabilities Research and Practice .

For the research, trained tutors implemented the intervention, developed by Orosco and colleagues based on cognitive and culturally responsive research conducted over a span of 20 years. One example of an intervention session tested in the study included a script in which a tutor examined a word problem explaining that a person made a quesadilla for his friend Mario and gave him one-fourth of it, then asked students to determine how much remained.

The tutor first asked students if they remembered a class session in which they made quesadillas and what shape they were, and demonstrated concepts by drawing a circle on the board, dividing it into four equal pieces, having students repeat terms like numerator and denominator. The tutor explains that when a question asks how much is left, subtraction is required. The students also collaborated with peers to practice using important vocabulary in sentences. The approach both helps students learn and understand mathematical concepts while being culturally responsive.

"Word problems are complex because they require translating words into mathematical equations, and this involves integrating the science of reading and math through language concepts and differentiated instruction," Orosco said. "We have not extensively tested these approaches with this group of children. However, we are establishing an evidence-based framework that aids them in developing background knowledge and connecting it to their cultural contexts."

Orosco, director of KU's Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Neuroscience, emphasized the critical role of language in word problems, highlighting the importance of using culturally familiar terms. For instance, substituting "pastry" for "quesadilla" could significantly affect comprehension for students from diverse backgrounds. Failure to grasp the initial scenario could impede subsequent problem-solving efforts.

The study proved effective in improving students' problem-solving abilities, despite covariates including an individual's basic calculation skills, fluid intelligence and reading comprehension scores. That finding is key, as while ideally all students would begin on equal footing and there would be few variations in a classroom, in reality, covariates exist and are commonplace.

The study had trained tutors deliver the intervention, and its effectiveness should be further tested with working teachers, the authors wrote. Orosco said professional development to help teachers gain the skills is necessary, and it is vital for teacher preparation programs to train future teachers with such skills as well. And helping students at the elementary level is necessary to help ensure success in future higher-level math classes such as algebra.

The research builds on Orosco and colleagues' work in understanding and improving math instruction for English learners. Future work will continue to examine the role of cognitive functions such as working memory and brain science, as well as potential integration of artificial intelligence in teaching math.

"Comprehension strategy instruction helps students make connections, ask questions, visualize, synthesize and monitor their thinking about word problems," Orosco and Reed wrote. "Finally, applying comprehension strategy instruction supports ELs in integrating their reading, language and math cognition…. Focusing on relevant language in word problems and providing collaborative support significantly improved students' solution accuracy."

Provided by University of Kansas

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