Mathematical word problems (e.g., “Tina has seven toy cars and five toy buses. How many toy vehicles does Tina have altogether?”) can be challenging for elementary school children. Among other skills, solving such problems may require calculation skills (i.e., 7 + 5 = ) and reading comprehension to understand and solve the problem, reasoning to connect with previous knowledge, spatial skills to visualize the problem and its solution, and motivation to be engaged and interested in solving the task.
In the latest publication, our research group members (Terhi Vessonen, Heidi Hellstrand, Anna Widlund, Johan Korhonen, Pirjo Aunio, and Anu Laine) utilize already published studies to explore individual characteristics related with elementary schoolers’ ability to solve mathematical word problems. In this publication, they summarized findings from 139 studies. Elementary schoolers’ general math skills, specific math-related abilities (especially calculation and number naming), cognitive skills (especially multiple language-related skills), and math-related motivation and anxiety all relate to their ability to solve mathematical word problems.
These findings provide valuable insights for both researchers and educators. Teachers can use this knowledge to better identify students who might struggle with word problems and support their learning more effectively. For instance, students who struggle with language skills, naming numbers, or have low mathematics-related motivation may especially require support when solving mathematical word problems. The findings also imply that researchers should aim to conduct longitudinal studies on the topic and ensure clear reporting of their sample and measurement.
The news is based on the following publication:
Vessonen, T., Dahlberg, M., Hellstrand, H., Widlund, A., Söderberg, P., Korhonen, J., Aunio, P., & Laine, A. (2025). Individual characteristics associated with elementary school children’s mathematical word problem‐solving skills: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Review of Education, 13(1), e70045. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.70045