Improving the Success Rate of Third grade students in solving Math word problems - Essay Example

The data that has already been collected on the subject is a good starting point for further, more specific, research. In attempting to create a better learning environment for third grade second-language students, in particular those whose first language is Spanish, this basic research is most useful in devising a methodology conducive to higher achievement in school. The reason for undertaking such a project is simply due to the sheer numbers of students and citizens in the United States whose first language is Spanish, who are struggling to pick up English and use it effectively.

Understanding the complexities of teaching bilingual students their second language will not only help them with daily conversation and interpretation of English but it will allow them to come to better terms with subjects that are not directly related to language learning, such as mathematics. To solve a mathematical word problem, the student must not only have the mathematical skills necessary to do so but he or she must also possess the ability to properly interpret the language. Word problems in math can be tricky because of the language itself; students who are fluent in English reading and writing can better interpret the meaning of these questions because they are so familiar with the language and its nuances.

Second-language students will struggle to interpret the same problems, however, simply because they are working from restricted vocabularies and in transferring the words directly from English into Spanish for better comprehension may lose sight of the real meaning. Word problems are notorious for including extraneous information that fluent Anglophones are more capable of identifying; second-language students can find this process not only much more challenging but they also may not realize that extra information has been included at all.

It is important in all cases for