Mathematics Video

Here’s How All Students Can Learn to Enjoy Word Problems

By Olina Banerji & Lauren Santucci — October 16, 2024 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Storytelling and mathematics don’t naturally go together. The best way to spark a discussion about a math topic in a classroom can be unpopular with many students: solving word problems.

Word problems often either come too late in a lesson or are disconnected from students’ reality. They are cognitively challenging—a student needs to translate the words into a number equation and pick a mathematical operation to solve it. For English learners, students with disabilities, or those who struggle to read, word problems can become an obstacle, instead of a vehicle, to a better understanding of math.

In classrooms with mixed abilities, students reading a word problem out loud in groups can help, said David Dai, an 8th and 9th grade math instructor at the Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies in Mobile, Ala., and a board member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In a video interview with Education Week, Dai detailed the strategies he uses to engage students with word problems.

“Students reading aloud allows me to listen and see if they are struggling with certain words,” he said.

In the video above, Dai urged math teachers to leverage technology, especially artificial intelligence, to create word problems that are at grade level and can cater to students who don’t excel at reading. Dai also emphasized that it’s important for teachers to understand their students’ cultural background and use images and contexts that are familiar.

For more research-based strategies on teaching fractions, as well as other math concepts, check out Education Week’s email mini-course, Teaching Math.

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
Substitute Teacher Staffing Simplified: 5 Strategies for Success
Struggling to find quality substitute teachers? Join our webinar to learn key strategies to keep your classrooms covered and students learning.
Content provided by Kelly Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI in Education: Empowering Educators to Tap into the Promise and Steer Clear of Peril
Explore the transformative potential of AI in education and learn how to harness its power to improve student outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
English Learners Webinar Family and Community Engagement: Best Practices for English Learners
Strengthening the bond between schools and families is key to the success of English learners. Learn how to enhance family engagement and support student achievement.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Mathematics Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Innovative Approaches to Math Engagement?
Answer 7 questions about effective strategies to engage students in math.
Mathematics Q&A Word Problems Get a Bad Rap in Math Class. Here’s How to Get Them Right
Kevin Dykema, a math expert, shares strategies for teachers to help students tackle word problems.
5 min read
Education Week Math Mini-Course, Week 4, Word Problems, 2700 x 1806
Eglė Plytnikaitė for Education Week
Mathematics Can Kindergarten Math Lay the Foundation for Algebra? New Study Aims to Find Out
Teaching algebraic thinking skills early—like generalizing, representing, and reasoning—can set students up for success, researchers say.
4 min read
Illustration of a young boy writing in a notepad with Algebra equations floating all around him
iStock/Getty
Mathematics Q&A Fractions Are Tough to Teach and to Learn. These Strategies Can Help
Here's how teachers can build students' conceptual understanding.
4 min read
Education Week Math Mini-Course, Week 3, Fractions, 2700 x 1806
Eglė Plytnikaitė for Education Week