Browsing by Subject "sanalliset tehtävät"

Mathematical word-problem-solving is proven to be a problem type which most low-achieving schoolaged students experience difficulties with. Solving word-problems requires recognizing and utilizing many skills, such as arithmetic skills, algebraic skills, reading comprehension, cognitive and metacognitive skills. Research based knowledge on how to help secondary school students with mathematical difficulties to solve word-problems is limited and focuses on the phenomenon behind the difficulties rather than on effective pedagogical ways to support learning. The purpose of this research is to gather current research evidence and to answer the question of which are the most effective evidence based word-problem-solving intervention programs for low achieving students in secondary school. The research method used was a systematic review of the literature. All the intervention studies had to meet the criteria for inclusion to be selected in the review. The analysis of the effectiveness of the programs was based on effect size calculations. In addition the intervention studies, which met the adjusted criteria for the required research method used in the study, were viewed separately, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of these intervention programs was based on the effects reported in the original studies. Four intervention researches met the original criteria for inclusion, and three of these examined the same problem-based-learning intervention program called Enhanced Anchored Instruction (EAI). EAI was the only intervention program, which was effective for low achieving students based on self-developed tests and standardized test. Eight intervention studies met the adjusted criteria for inclusion and the intervention programs in these were divided into strategy instruction programs for problem solving and instruction method programs. There were studies in both groups, which reported positive effect for students with mathematical difficulties. Two shared characteristics was found in all the interventions, which were dividing the educational content into smaller components and guiding the students focus on the usefulness of the strategies used to solve the word-problems.