Why Do Students Struggle with Word Problems?
Many of our students struggle to solve word problems, and we don’t always understand why.
There are usually a few contributing factors. Students need to understand the underlying math concepts, have a strategy for approaching problems, and have a process to apply that strategy.
Graphic Organizers Support Sequential Thinking
A graphic organizer can be a quick and easy solution to help students develop a process for problem-solving.
This organizer is based on George Polya’s 4-Step problem solving process. Polya was a Hungarian mathematician who discovered that any mathematical problem could be solved in 4-steps: Understand, Plan, Solve, and Reflect.
With this organizer, your students can better organize their thinking, and apply Polya’s process to solve challenging multi-step word problems.