Do your students struggle with reading word problems? Do they know how to solve a word problem? It’s important to guide students through the process. Where do you even begin? What’s Step 1? How to start problem solving starts now.
When is the Best Time to Start Problem Solving?
When is the best time to start? Today. Teach problem solving with urgency. The best day to start is not tomorrow. Start today! Learn how to implement problem solving in these quick steps outlined in this post. Watch your students grow into better mathematicians and become more confident in solving any word problem.
How to Start Problem Solving
Step #1 Understanding the Problem
Before you can solve a problem, you have to understand it. First, students need to read the problem and understand what it’s asking. What is happening in this problem? What information is it giving you?
Step #2 Looking for Meaning in Problem Solving
Secondly, students can easily read a word problem without comprehending it. To get students to read with meaning, break down the problem. Look for meaning in the text.
There are keywords that help students understand how to solve a word problem. Circle those keywords that tell you what to do. Box important numbers that help students with operations.
Do not overdo it with highlighting and underlining. Students will misuse the techniques if they’re not properly understanding how to use them.
Step #3 Reading the Problem Solving Questions
Students should always look for the main question. What is the problem asking you to find? How can you solve the question?
When students shift their focus from the text and numbers to the question, they will be better able to find the information in the text they need. Not all numbers are important in a word problem. Choosing the right ones from the questions is key.
Problem Solving Tips
- Look for key information in the word problem. Highlight, underline, circle, and box words and numbers that are important.
- Remember not to over highlight, underline, or circle. This creates confusion for students deciding what is more important in a word problem.
- Ask the question, what is the problem asking you to find? This will help point you in the right direction.
Let’s do Problem Solving!
You are ready to start now with these tips and strategies. Want to learn more about the next steps in problem solving? Read “How to Teach Problem Solving” to get your students writing responses sooner.
Access the Problem Solving Guide
You can gain access today to the Problem Solving Guide for grades 3-8. You will learn how to teach your students to solve math word problems and help them solve any problem.
