Page 421 - Istenič Andreja, Gačnik Mateja, Horvat Barbara, Kukanja Gabrijelčič Mojca, Kiswarday Vanja Riccarda, Lebeničnik Maja, Mezgec Maja, Volk Marina. Ur. 2023. Vzgoja in izobraževanje med preteklostjo in prihodnostjo. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
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The Development of Strategies for Solving Arithmetic Word Problems
Jenny – Evelyn =5
14 ?
Figure 3 Schematic Diagram Representing the Variables, Quantities, and Relations
of an Inconsistent Problem
used. In particular, students learn to solve word problems through four steps,
namely: (1) identify the word problem type (i.e. change, combine or compare)
and therefore the underlying semantic structure, (2) organize and place the
relevant information from the word problem text into a visual schematic di-
agram, (3) plan the solution, and (4) use computational algorithms to solve
for the unknown quantity (Jitendra 2019).
Imagine solving the inconsistent word problem presented in figure 3 with
the schema-based approach. In the first step of the schema-based strategy,
children identify the word problem as compare since it requires a comparison
of Jenny’s crayons to Evelyn’s crayons. In Step 2, children are instructed to use
the corresponding diagram (compare schematic diagram) to organize and
represent the relevant information. In doing so, they carefully read the text
and identify the variables that are being compared (e.g. Jenny and Evelyn);
focusing on the comparison sentence they determine the identity of the big-
ger (e.g. Jenny) and smaller (e.g. Evelyn) variable and write them in the cor-
rect location in the diagram (e.g. Jenny in the first circle that represents the
bigger set and Evelyn in the second circle which represents the smaller set).
Students then refer to the text to identify the difference amount between
the two variables (e.g. how many more crayons does Jenny have) and place
the information in the diagram. Next, children read the problem to search
for the quantities associated with the two variables (e.g. 14 for Jenny and
unknown quantity for Evelyn) and write them in the diagram. Finally, pupils
check the accuracy of the representation. In Step 3, solvers need to select
the arithmetic operation to solve the unknown quantity. They learn that the
bigger variable (e.g. Jenny’s crayons) is the ‘whole,’ while the smaller variable
and difference (e.g. Evelyn’s crayons and 5 crayons) are ‘parts’ that make up
the bigger variable (part-part-whole schema). Therefore, children learn that
when solving for the smaller variable they need to do a subtraction, whereas
when solving for the bigger quantity an addition must be applied. In Step
421
Jenny – Evelyn =5
14 ?
Figure 3 Schematic Diagram Representing the Variables, Quantities, and Relations
of an Inconsistent Problem
used. In particular, students learn to solve word problems through four steps,
namely: (1) identify the word problem type (i.e. change, combine or compare)
and therefore the underlying semantic structure, (2) organize and place the
relevant information from the word problem text into a visual schematic di-
agram, (3) plan the solution, and (4) use computational algorithms to solve
for the unknown quantity (Jitendra 2019).
Imagine solving the inconsistent word problem presented in figure 3 with
the schema-based approach. In the first step of the schema-based strategy,
children identify the word problem as compare since it requires a comparison
of Jenny’s crayons to Evelyn’s crayons. In Step 2, children are instructed to use
the corresponding diagram (compare schematic diagram) to organize and
represent the relevant information. In doing so, they carefully read the text
and identify the variables that are being compared (e.g. Jenny and Evelyn);
focusing on the comparison sentence they determine the identity of the big-
ger (e.g. Jenny) and smaller (e.g. Evelyn) variable and write them in the cor-
rect location in the diagram (e.g. Jenny in the first circle that represents the
bigger set and Evelyn in the second circle which represents the smaller set).
Students then refer to the text to identify the difference amount between
the two variables (e.g. how many more crayons does Jenny have) and place
the information in the diagram. Next, children read the problem to search
for the quantities associated with the two variables (e.g. 14 for Jenny and
unknown quantity for Evelyn) and write them in the diagram. Finally, pupils
check the accuracy of the representation. In Step 3, solvers need to select
the arithmetic operation to solve the unknown quantity. They learn that the
bigger variable (e.g. Jenny’s crayons) is the ‘whole,’ while the smaller variable
and difference (e.g. Evelyn’s crayons and 5 crayons) are ‘parts’ that make up
the bigger variable (part-part-whole schema). Therefore, children learn that
when solving for the smaller variable they need to do a subtraction, whereas
when solving for the bigger quantity an addition must be applied. In Step
421
