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Instruction for Mathematical Problem Solving: 

Instruction for Mathematical Problem Solving Marjorie Montague, Ph.D. University of Miami Mmontague@aol.com

Solve It!: 

Solve It! Caroline owns a dog kennel. She usually has 15 dogs to care for every week. Each dog eats about 10 lb. of food per week. She pays $1.60 per pound for the food. How much does Caroline pay to feed 15 dogs each week?

Solve It!: 

Solve It! If Bob’s weekly income doubled, he would be making $50.00 more than Tom. Bob’s weekly income is $70.00 more than one-half of Phil’s. Phil makes $180.00 a week. How much does Tom make?

Slide4: 

What processes and strategies did you use to solve these problems? Make a list of everything you thought and did as you solved these problems.

Strategies: Definitions : 

Strategies: Definitions Processes that are consciously devised to achieve particular goals. A range of specific processes including rehearsal, outlining, memorizing, planning, visualizing. Cognitive and metacognitive processes or mental activities that facilitate learning and may be relatively simple or complex as a function of the level of the task and the contextual conditions.

Strategic Learning: 

Strategic Learning Students with learning difficulties (LD) may have strategy deficits or differences. Students may have a repertoire of strategies and yet have difficulty selecting appropriate strategies, organizing and/or executing strategies. They are inefficient in abandoning and replacing ineffective strategies. They do not readily adapt previously used strategies. They do not generalize strategy use.

Students with LD need: 

Students with LD need Help in acquiring and applying cognitive processes and metacognitive strategies that underlie effective and efficient problem solving. To learn how to understand the mathematical problems, analyze the information presented, develop logical plans to solve problems, and evaluate their solutions.

Cognitive Processes and Metacognitive Strategies: 

Cognitive Processes and Metacognitive Strategies Cognitive Processes Read the problem for understanding. Paraphrase by putting the problem into their own words. Visualize the problem by drawing a picture or making a mental image. Hypothesize or set up a plan for solving the problem. Estimate the answer. Compute or do the arithmetic. Check the process and product.

Metacognitive Strategies (Self-Regulation Strategies) : 

Metacognitive Strategies (Self-Regulation Strategies) Students are taught self-regulation strategies Say: self-instruction, Ask: self-questioning, and Check: self-monitoring. These strategies help gain access to strategic knowledge, guide learners as they apply strategies, and regulate their use of strategies and their overall performance as they solve problems.

Cognitive Processes: 

Cognitive Processes Read (for understanding) Paraphrase (your own words) Visualize (a picture or a diagram) Hypothesize (a plan to solve the problem) Estimate (predict the answer) Compute (do the arithmetic) Check (make sure everything is right)

Cognitive Processes and Metacognitive Strategies: 

Cognitive Processes and Metacognitive Strategies Read (for understanding) Say: Read the problem. If I don’t understand, read it again. Ask: Have I read and understood the problem? Check: Check for understanding as I solve the problem. Paraphrase (your own words) Say: Underline the important information. Put the problem into my own words. Ask: Have I underlined the important information? What is the question? What am I looking for? Check: Check that the information goes with the question.  

Slide13: 

Visualize (a picture or a diagram) Say: Make a drawing or a diagram. Ask: Does the picture fit the problem? Check: Check the picture against the problem information.   Hypothesize (a plan to solve the problem) Say: Decide how many steps and operations are needed. Write the operation symbols (+, -, x, and /). Ask: If I do -, what will I get? If I do-, then what do I need to do next? How many steps are needed? Check: Check that the plan makes sense.  

Slide14: 

Estimate (predict the answer) Say: Round the numbers, do the problem in my head, and write the estimate. Ask: Did I round up or down? Did I write the estimate? Check: Check that I used the important information.   Compute (do the arithmetic) Say: Do the operations in the right order. Ask: How does my answer compare with my estimate? Does my answer make sense? Are the decimals or money signs in the right places? Check: Check that all the operations were done in the right order.

Slide15: 

Check (make sure everything is right) Say: Check the computation. Ask: Have I checked every step? Have I checked the compution? Is my answer right? Check: Check that everything is right. If not, go back. Then ask for help if I need it.

Problem-solving assessment: 

Problem-solving assessment Initial assessment and ongoing monitoring: measure student performance in solving mathematical problems ascertain each student’s strategic knowledge and use of strategies assessment procedures that are student-centered, process-oriented, and directly relevant to the instructional program understanding a student’s knowledge base, skill level, learning style, information processing, strategic activity, attitude, and motivation for learning mathematics the teacher is able to make judgments about both individual and group instructional needs

Visualization (van Garderen, 2002): 

Visualization (van Garderen, 2002) Representation process Drawings or diagrams that visually represent the information in the problem Images produced on paper or mentally Pictorial versus schematic representations Schematic or relational representations correlated with successful problem solving Students with LD need explicit instruction in creating schematic representations that show the relationships among the problem parts

Estimation (Montague & van Garderen, in press): 

Estimation (Montague & van Garderen, in press) Related to number sense and conceptual understanding Prediction process Measurement and computational estimation Students generally poor at estimating Students with LD need explicit instruction in estimation More than simply rounding numbers Inappropriately taught in typical mathematics texts

Explicit instruction: Components: 

Explicit instruction: Components highly structured and organized lessons, appropriate cues and prompts, guided and distributed practice, immediate and corrective feedback on learner performance, positive reinforcement, overlearning, and mastery.

Cognitive Strategy Instruction: 

Cognitive Strategy Instruction Teach a problem-solving routine using guided discussion and interactive activities Students practice verbalizing cognitive processes and self-regulation strategies Students are actively engaged in the learning process Individual performance on a pretest determines performance goals that students understand and commit to Students learn to apply the processes and strategies and monitor their progress Students experience immediate success

Process modeling: 

Process modeling Process modeling is thinking aloud while demonstrating a cognitive activity. helps apply the problem solving processes and strategies stresses learning by imitation provides students with the opportunity to observe and hear how to solve mathematical problems the teacher shows students how to say everything they are thinking and doing as they solve the mathematical problems shows students not only what to do but what not to do modeling of correct behaviors allows students to observe appropriate and successful application of the processes and strategies modeling of incorrect behaviors and responses allows students to observe what it means to locate and correct errors

Performance feedback: 

Performance feedback Students are always given specific feedback regarding their performance and responses as they learn and apply the problem-solving processes and strategies. Performance during practice sessions and periodic progress checks is also carefully analyzed. Students learn to appraise, critique, and monitor their own performance. Reinforcement by peers and teacher for solving problems correctly and improving on the periodic progress checks. Use of labeled praise and directing the feedback toward the appropriate student.

Reinforcement: 

Reinforcement essential for students who are learning problem solving need to know exactly which behaviors and responses are being praised so that they can be repeated provided with opportunities to practice giving and receiving positive feedback and praise shows them that they are successful and can become better problem solvers praise must reflect an honest appraisal of students’ responses serves to inform students that they are performing well and are making progress peer reinforcement for participating in practice sessions is an important part of the program ultimate goal is to have students recognize that they have done well and praise themselves for doing well

Strategy Instruction: 

Strategy Instruction How, when, and by whom should explicit strategy instruction be provided for students with LD? Provided by expert remedial teachers who understand the characteristics of students with LD. Provided to small groups of students (8-10) who will benefit from instruction (assessment is important). Intense and time-limited so teachers may wish to remove students from the classroom for strategy instruction. Collaboration between general and special education teachers is essential.