Mathematical word-problem-solving instruction for students with mild disabilities and students at risk for math failure: A research synthesis

This article reviews published research on mathematical word-problem-solving instruction involving students with mild disabilities and students at risk for math failure. The purpose of the review was to summarize 14 word-problem-solving intervention studies with regards to participants, procedures, and findings and provide implications for future research and classroom practice in teaching word-problem solving. Interventions gleaned from the review entailed representational techniques (e.g., diagramming), strategy-training procedures (e.g., cognitive and metacognitive), task variations (sequencing and word-problem context), and computer-assisted instruction. With the exception of one study, all studies reported positive effects of interventions on students' mathematical word-problem solving.