
Ask HN: Mastering math word problems for upper elementary student - bahirjinaik
Hi, my kid will be 5th grader this fall. One thing I have noticed consistently is the kid struggles to solve math word problems. The kid gets the problem when I explain but again struggles with a new problem for the same concept. Are there any techniques to improve this? Thanks
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csa
Lots of practice with lots of feedback on process.

Once you have walked them through a problem and shown them the process, have
them implement that process. If they have cognitive breakdown, then engage in
scaffolding (e.g., ask them what was done in a previous problem you did
together).

Try to avoid just doing the problem for them over and over. Modeling is great
at the start, but you have to have them implement the model on their own for
them to learn.

This is a very brief answer to a problem that has a lot of nuanced issues.
That said, it’s a start.

If you know a good teacher or tutor, ask to watch them work on this stuff.
Some of these folks make it seem like magic (although it’s not).

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rawgabbit
Your child, I assume, can solve algebraic equations. He/she may need help
translating the words into equations. You may want to check out the worksheets
available here: [https://kiddymath.com/worksheets/translating-problems-
into-e...](https://kiddymath.com/worksheets/translating-problems-into-
equations)

~~~
bahirjinaik
Thanks

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Jugurtha
In my experience parents get frustrated because their child doesn't get a
concept, but don't automatically think that the child needs more _practice_.
If they think about practice, it is not systematic or structured and doesn't
generate enough information about what's confusing the kid.

Doing homework or exercises in the kitchen isn't enough, because how many
exercises is the kid going to do? They won't do all the mistakes kids make and
won't get enough corrections. The feedback loop is very wide, if it exists at
all. The session drags forever.

I've had similar experience when a parent complains that a child is behind in
say, addition. I'll take a sheet of paper, and make it into a table with
horizontal and vertical lines to make cells. Say 8 by 8: that's 64 cells on an
A4 sheet.

I'll then put 64 random additions in those cells and give it to the child. The
child then starts making mistakes with "carrying" for example. I'll correct
the mistake (check mark or cross and invite the child to re-solve it), and add
an operation (so it's 64 + n_wrong_answers), and the child goes on to the next
operation. They may make the same mistake and I'll correct again. Generally
speaking, a couple of examples and they'll stop making that mistake because
the frequency of the "cases" is high. They're doing one after the other, not a
couple every week.

When they're done, I'll go over the cells and either notice a pattern like
systematically forgetting to carry. I'll correct the cells and make another
sheet of paper. This goes until the kid gets _all_ of them right.

Paradoxically, doing it this way is _faster_ : the session is more intense,
there are more examples, the child is more focused, they get many, many
exaples and correct their mistakes, and then they're done. This is different
than the half-assed approach with a low intensity session that goes on
forever.

One requirement is that it has to be crystal clear to the kid that they're
going nowhere. I won't get upset and dismiss them when they start getting
things wrong or just put random answers. They're doing it so they can go play
because that tactic works with a _lot_ of parents: they get impatient, and
they'll dismiss the child who can then go play.

Even the kids that concentrate the least or are distracted the most get laser-
focused, because it becomes clear to them they're not leaving until they get
none of the operations wrong.

Just one session and the parents notice a dramatic improvement and it's not
magic. It's 64 mini exercises that drill down a concept until a kid doesn't
get it wrong. Some parents are impressed with the _speed_ a child starts doing
operations, even doing mental calculations of multi digit additions.

As far as I can tell, children lack practice. They're not solving enough
problems. They'll do one homework exercise here, another there. Spend hours
and hours doing the simplest things in the kitchen because they lack the
incentive to get it done, and they know the parent is going to lose patience
and dismiss them.

~~~
Gooblebrai
I got confused with your fourth and fifth paragraph. In the fourth one, you
seem to be checking each operation after it's done by the child and adding
another one if it's wrong.

In the fifth paragraph, it seems you let the child finish the entire sheet and
then add another sheet of operations (with n amount of operations based on the
number of failures or another 64?)

Could you clarify this further? Your method seems very interesting to me.

