My child is struggling with word problems. What can you do to help?

Question

Word problems are often tricky for elementary students for several reasons. In my experience, they read the problem only once, read it too quickly, and do not understand what the problem is asking them to find. I can teach your child how to go through word problems step by step so they understand the questions, give them keywords to look for so that they know what operation(s) they need to perform, and can sort out the sometimes unnecessary information included in word problems.

Answer 1

I can definitely help your child with word problems! Word problems can often be challenging because they require both mathematical skills and the ability to understand and interpret the given information. Here are a few strategies you can use to assist your child:

1. Break down the problem: Encourage your child to read the problem carefully and identify the key information. They should underline or highlight important numbers, keywords, and phrases that give clues about what operation to use.
2. Visualize the problem: In many cases, drawing a diagram or making a visual representation can help your child better understand the problem. They can sketch out the situation or use objects to represent the quantities involved. This can make it easier to visualize the relationships between different elements of the problem.
3. Identify the question: Ask your child to determine what the problem is asking. It's important for them to understand the specific information or solution that is being sought. Sometimes rephrasing the question in their own words can help clarify the objective.
4. Choose a strategy: Depending on the type of word problem, different strategies can be applied. Some common approaches include using equations, making tables or charts, working backward, or using guess-and-check. Encourage your child to experiment with different strategies and find the one that works best for them.
5. Practice regularly: Word problems can be mastered with practice. Provide your child with a variety of word problems to solve regularly. Start with simpler problems and gradually increase the difficulty level as they become more comfortable. Online resources, textbooks, or workbooks can provide a good source of practice problems.
6. Work together: Sit down with your child and work through the word problems together. Offer guidance and support, but also give them the opportunity to think through the problems independently. Discuss the thought process and encourage them to explain their reasoning.
7. Relate to real-life situations: Help your child understand the practical application of word problems by relating them to real-life situations. This can make the problems more engaging and relatable, enhancing their problem-solving skills.

Remember, patience is key when helping your child with word problems. Encourage them to persevere and celebrate their efforts and progress. With consistent practice and support, their confidence and proficiency in solving word problems will improve over time.

Answer 2

Don't worry, this is so common! It takes time for students to build confidence in this area. Encourage your learner to 3 read the problem. The first time is just to stick your toes in and to make sure there aren't any words that the learner doesn't know. The second time, they should read the problem while removing the numbers, because often times the process will be the same, regardless of the type of numbers, ie whole, decimal, fractions etc. Also, encourage your student to put themselves into the situation in order to make a connection to the problem.

The third time involves using their annotating skills. An example might be circle the numbers, underline key words, box in the question. Whatever works for the student.

After the 3 read, it is time to make a plan. This can be stated out loud or written as an expression or equation, depending on the age. Now it is time to solve! Before they declare their answer, students should always make sure that their answer is truly answering the question. Sometimes the answer to the question might require more than one step.

Building confidence in problem solving will benefit your student for the rest of their lives. After all, it is a true life skill!