Mathematics word problems solving by English language learners and web based tutoring system

The goal of the study was to investigate the impact of English text difficulty on English learners’ math word problem solving. Booklets containing eight word problems and 5 point Likert-type rating scale items were given to 41 students. The students were asked to solve 8 math word problems written in English, and varying in grade level readability (vocabulary and grammatical complexity) as well as in the math operation (e.g., arithmetic, simple algebra). The researcher provided the students with hints as needed to ensure that students found the correct solution. The results showed that both English difficulty and Math level difficulty contributed to the students’ poor achievements. Based on the results, some suggestions for improvements to an existing Web based math instructional software aimed at helping ELL students (called Animal Watch) have been made.

[1]  Richard M. Young,et al.  Errors in Children's Subtraction , 1981, Cogn. Sci..

[2]  E. Gutstein,et al.  Culturally Relevant Mathematics Teaching in a Mexican American Context , 1997 .

[3]  W. Kintsch,et al.  The role of understanding in solving word problems , 1988, Cognitive Psychology.

[4]  Mitchell J. Nathan,et al.  A theory of algebra-word-problem comprehension and its implications for the design of learning environments. , 1992 .

[5]  A. Su,et al.  The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics , 1932, The Mathematical Gazette.

[6]  Verna M. Adams,et al.  Cognitive Demands and Second-Language Learners: A Framework for Analyzing Mathematics Instructional Contexts , 2007 .

[7]  Colin Sharp.  Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (3rd ed.) , 2003 .

[8]  Raffaělla Borasi.  Capitalizing on Errors as "Springboards for Inquiry": A Teaching Experiment. , 1994 .

[9]  John Seely Brown,et al.  Diagnostic Models for Procedural Bugs in Basic Mathematical Skills , 1978, Cogn. Sci..

[10]  Kurt VanLehn,et al.  Repair Theory: A Generative Theory of Bugs in Procedural Skills , 1980, Cogn. Sci..

[11]  Barbara Freeman,et al.  Creating a Middle School Mathematics Curriculum for English-Language Learners , 2008 .

[12]  Leslie Garrison.  Making the NCTM's Standards work for emergent English , 1997 .

[13]  Judit N. Moschkovich,et al.  Using Two Languages When Learning Mathematics , 2006 .

[14]  M. A. Clements.  Analyzing children's errors on written mathematical tasks , 1980 .

[15]  Judit N. Moschkovich,et al.  A Situated and Sociocultural Perspective on Bilingual Mathematics Learners , 2002 .

[16]  J. Adler.  A Language of Teaching Dilemmas: Unlocking the Complex Multilingual Secondary Mathematics , 1998 .

[17]  L. Resnick.  Treating Mathematics as an Ill-Structured Discipline. , 1988 .