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Word problem solving approaches in mathematics textbooks: a comparison between Singapore and Spain

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Abstract

Singaporean children are the best performers on international achievement tests in mathematics (i.e. the TIMSS). Their excellent results could be due at least partly to certain characteristics of the textbooks used there (Oates 2014). Therefore, these materials could be taken as a good benchmark to describe and evaluate aspects of the textbooks of other regions that could be improved. For this reason, the word problem-solving approaches proposed by primary education math textbooks from Spain were compared with those from Singapore based on the presence of the problem-solving steps that are most characteristic of a genuine word problem-solving approach. The results show that the Singaporean textbooks include much more reasoning than the Spanish textbooks, while they include fewer problem-solving steps related to strategies and checking. We conclude that Singaporean textbooks provide better scaffolding for high-quality learning of word problem solving than Spanish textbooks.

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Notes

  1. The latest TIMSS cycle in 2015 did not provided any information about this issue.

  2. When the drawings were used to represent data or some aspects of solving problems other than the mathematical relationships between the sets, they were considered ‘use of drawings’, which is a problem-solving strategy.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain [PSI2015-66802-P].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Salamanca, Paseo Canalejas 169, 37008, Salamanca, Spain

    Santiago Vicente & Rosario Sánchez

  2. Center for Instructional Psychology and Technology Education and Training Research Group, Van den Heuvel Instituut, Catholic University of Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, Post Box 3773, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Lieven Verschaffel

Authors
  1. Santiago Vicente
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  2. Rosario Sánchez
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  3. Lieven Verschaffel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Santiago Vicente.

Additional information

Santiago Vicente. Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Salamanca, Paseo Canalejas 169, 37008, Salamanca, Spain. Email: sanvicente@usal.es

Current themes of research:

Mathematics education. Word Problem solving. Teacher-student interaction. Mathematics textbooks.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Vicente, S., Manchado, E. & Verschaffel, L. (2018). Solving arithmetic word problems. An analysis of Spanish textbooks. Cultura y Educacion, 30, 71–104.

Vicente, S. & Manchado, E. (2017). Content domain and autenticity: An analysis of the word problems included into spanish mathematics textbooks. Pna-Revista De Investigacion En Didactica De La Matematica, 11, 253–279.

Vicente, S. & Manchado, E. (2016) Resolucion de problemas aritmeticos verbales. Se resuelven mejor si se presentan como problemas autenticos? Infancia y Aprendizaje, 39, 349–379.

Sánchez, R. & Vicente, S. (2015). Models and processes for solving arithmetic word problems proposed by Spanish mathematics textbooks. Cultura Y Educacion, 27, 695–725.

Orrantia, J., Múñez, D., Vicente, S., Verschaffel, L & Rosales, J. (2014). Processing of situational information in story problem texts. An analysis from on-line measures. Spanish Journal of Psychology.

Vicente, S., Rosales, J., Chamoso, J.M. & Múñez, D. (2013). Análisis de la práctica educativa en clases de matemáticas españolas de Educación Primaria: una posible explicación para el nivel de competencia de los alumnos. Cultura & Educación.

Rosales, J., Vicente, S., Chamoso, J.M., Múñez, D. & Orrantia, J. (2012). Student interaction in joint word problem solving. The role of situational and mathematical knowledge in mainstream classrooms. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28, 1185–1195.

Orrantia, J., Rodríguez, L. Múñez, D. & Vicente, S. (2012). Inverse reference in subtraction performance: An analysis from arithmetic word problems. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 65(4), 725–738.

Orrantia, J., Tarín, J. & Vicente, S. (2011). El uso de la información situacional en la resolución de problemas aritméticos. Infancia & Aprendizaje, 34 (1), 81–94.

Orrantia, J., Rodríguez, L. & Vicente, S. (2010). Automatic activation of addition facts in arithmetic word problems. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63(2), 310–319.

Vicente, S., Orrantia, J. & Verschaffel, L. (2008). Influence of situational and mathematical information on situationally difficult word problems. Studia Psychologica, 50(4), 337–356.

Vicente, S., Orrantia, J. & Verschaffel, L. (2008). Influencia del conocimiento matemático y situacional en la resolución de problemas aritméticos verbales: ayudas textuales y gráficas. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 31 (4), 463–483.

Rosales, J., Orrantia, J., Vicente, S., Chamoso, J. M. (2008). Resolution of word problems and interaction in the classroom. A comparison between in-service and pre-service teachers. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 32 (3), 275–294 .

Vicente, S., Orrantia, J. & Verschaffel, L. (2007). Influence of situational and conceptual rewording on word problem solving. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77 (4), 829–840.

Rosario Sánchez. Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Salamanca, Paseo Canalejas 169, 37008, Salamanca, Spain. Email: mariarosario@usal.es

Current themes of research:

Mathematics education. Problem solving. Learning of numerical magnitude

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education.

Orrantia, Josetxu; San Romualdo, Sara; Sánchez, Rosario; Matilla, Laura; Muñez, David; Verschaffel, Lieven. Numerical magnitude processing and mathematical achievement. Revista de educación 381, July-September 2018, pp. 133–146.

Sánchez, Rosario. & Vicente, Santiago. (2015). Models and processes for solving arithmetic word problems proposed by Spanish mathematics textbooks. Cultura Y Educacion, 27, 695–725

Lieven Verschaffel. Center for Instructional Psychology and Technology Education and Training Research Group, Van den Heuvel Instituut, Catholic University of Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, Post Box 3773, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. Email: Lieven.Verschaffel@ppw.kuleuven.be

Current themes of research:

Learning and instruction. Mathematics education. Problem solving.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Van Hoof, Jo; Degrande, Tine; Ceulemans, Eva; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim. Towards a mathematically more correct understanding of rational numbers: A longitudinal study with upper elementary school learners. Learning and Individual Differences; 2018; Vol. 61; pp. 99–108.

Lem, Stephanie; Onghena, Patrick; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim. The power of refutational text: Changing intuitions about the interpretation of box plots. European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2017; Vol. 32; iss. 4; pp. 537–550.

Torbeyns, Joke; Hickendorff, Marian; Verschaffel, Lieven. The use of number-based versus digit-based strategies on multi-digit subtraction: 9–12-year-olds’ strategy use profiles and task performance. Learning and Individual Differences; 2017; Vol. 58; pp. 64–74.

Dewolf, Tinne; Van Dooren, Wim; Verschaffel, Lieven. Can visual aids in representational illustrations help pupils to solve mathematical word problems more realistically?. European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2017; Vol. 32; iss. 3; pp. 335–351.

Bojorque, Gina; Torbeyns, Joke; Hannula-Sormunen, Minna; Van Nijlen, Daniel; Verschaffel, Lieven. Development of SFON in Ecuadorian kindergartners. European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2017; Vol. 32; iss. 3; pp. 449–462.

Van Hoof, Jo; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim Wiley. Number sense in the transition from natural to rational numbers. British Journal of Educational Psychology; 2017; Vol. 87; iss. 1; pp. 43–56.

Weyns, Anke; Van Dooren, Wim; Dewolf, Tinne; Verschaffel, Lieven. The effect of emphasising the realistic modelling complexity in the text or picture on pupils’ realistic solutions of P-items. Educational Psychology; 2017; Vol. 37; iss. 10; pp. 1173–1185.

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Torbeyns, Joke; Verschaffel, Lieven. Mental computation or standard algorithm? Children’s strategy choices on multi-digit subtractions. European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2016; Vol. 31; iss. 2; pp. 99–116.

Peeters, Dominique; Degrande, Tine; Ebersbach, Mirjam; Verschaffel, Lieven; Luwel, Koen. Children’s use of number line estimation strategies. European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2016; Vol. 31; iss. 2; pp. 117–134.

Van Hoof, Jo; Vandewalle, Lien; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim. In search for the natural number bias in secondary school students’ interpretation of the effect of arithmetical operations. Learning and Instruction; 2015; Vol. 37; iss. 37; pp. 30–38.

Van Dooren, Wim; Lehtinen, Erno; Verschaffel, Lieven. Unraveling the gap between natural and rational numbers. Learning and Instruction; 2015; Vol. 37; pp. 1–4.

Linsen, Sarah; Verschaffel, Lieven; Reynvoet, Bert; De Smedt, Bert. The association between numerical magnitude processing and mental versus algorithmic multi-digit subtraction in children. Learning and Instruction; 2015; Vol. 35; pp. 42–50.

Lem, Stephanie; Onghena, Patrick; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim. Interpreting histograms. As easy as it seems? European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2014; Vol. 29; iss. 4; pp. 557–575.

Obersteiner, Andreas; Reiss, Kristina; Ufer, Stefan; Luwel, Koen; Verschaffel, Lieven. Do first graders make efficient use of external number representations? The case of the twenty-frame. Cognition and Instruction; 2014; Vol. 32; iss. 4; pp. 353–373.

Nistal, A Acevedo; Van Dooren, W; Verschaffel, L. Improving students’ representational flexibility in linear-function problems: An intervention. Educational Psychology; 2014; Vol. 34; iss. 6; pp. 763–786.

Peters, Greet; De Smedt, Bert; Torbeyns, Joke; Verschaffel, Lieven; Ghesquiere, Pol. Subtraction by addition in children with mathematical learning disabilities. Learning and Instruction; 2014; Vol. 30; pp. 1–8.

Dewolf, Tinne; Van Dooren, Wim; Ev Cimen, Emre; Verschaffel, Lieven. The impact of illustrations and warnings on solving mathematical word problems realistically. Journal of Experimental Education; 2014; Vol. 82; iss. 1; pp. 103–120.

Jimenez, Laura; Verschaffel, Lieven. Development of Children’s solutions of non-standard arithmetic word problem solving. Revista de Psicodidactica; 2014; Vol. 19; iss. 1; pp. 93–123.

Obersteiner, Andreas; Van Dooren, Wim; Van Hoof, Jo; Verschaffel, Lieven. The natural number bias and magnitude representation in fraction comparison by expert mathematicians. Learning and Instruction; 2013; Vol. 28; pp. 64–72.

Lem, Stephanie; Onghena, Patrick; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim. The heuristic interpretation of box plots. Learning and Instruction; 2013; Vol. 26; iss. 4; pp. 22–35.

Luwel, Koen; Foustana, Ageliki; Onghena, Patrick; Verschaffel, Lieven. The role of verbal and performance intelligence in children’s strategy selection and execution. Learning and Individual Differences; 2013; Vol. 24; pp. 134–138.

Lem, Stephanie; Onghena, Patrick; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim. On the misinterpretation of histograms and box plots. Educational Psychology; 2013; Vol. 33; iss. 2; pp. 155–174.

Fernandez, Ceneida; Llinares, Salvador; Van Dooren, Wim; De Bock, Dirk; Verschaffel, Lieven. The development of students’ use of additive and proportional methods along primary and secondary school. European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2012; Vol. 27; iss. 3; pp. 421–438.

Dewolf, Tinne; Van Dooren, Wim; Verschaffel, Lieven. Upper elementary school children’s understanding and solution of a quantitative problem inside and outside the mathematics class. Learning and Instruction; 2011; Vol. 21; iss. 6; pp. 770–780.

De Smedt, Bert; Torbeyns, Joke; Stassens, Nick; Ghesquiere, Pol; Verschaffel, Lieven. Frequency, efficiency and flexibility of indirect addition in two learning environments. Learning and Instruction; 2010; Vol. 20; iss. 3; pp. 205–215.

Verschaffel, Lieven; Reybrouck, Mark; Jans, Christine; Van Dooren, Wim. Children’s criteria for representational adequacy in the perception of simple sonic stimuli. Cognition and Instruction; 2010; Vol. 28; iss. 4; pp. 475–502.

Van Dooren, Wim; De Bock, Dirk; Verschaffel, Lieven. From addition to multiplication ... and back: The development of students’ additive and multiplicative reasoning skills. Cognition and Instruction; 2010; Vol. 28; iss. 3; pp. 360–381.

Verschaffel, Lieven; Luwel, Koen; Torbeyns, Joke; Van Dooren, Wim. Conceptualizing, investigating, and enhancing adaptive expertise in elementary mathematics education. European Journal of Psychology of Education; 2009; Vol. 24; iss. 3; pp. 335–359.

Torbeyns, Joke; Ghesquiere, Pol; Verschaffel, Lieven. Efficiency and flexibility of indirect addition in the domain of multi-digit subtraction. Learning and Instruction; 2009; Vol. 19; iss. 1; pp. 1–12.

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Vicente, S., Sánchez, R. & Verschaffel, L. Word problem solving approaches in mathematics textbooks: a comparison between Singapore and Spain. Eur J Psychol Educ 35, 567–587 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-019-00447-3

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