The purpose of this study was to examine selected aspects of arithmetic problem solving among secondary school learning disabled students. Specific types of problems were created according to a matrix system. Learning disabled children tended to have difficulty with problems of the indirect type and problems that contained extraneous information. Numerous opportunities and guidelines are suggested for both instructional and research personnel to engage in problem-solving activities with LD youth.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BeboutH. (1986, April). Children's symbolic representations of addition and subtraction verbal problems. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.
2.
BlankenshipC., & LovittT. (1976). Story problems: Merely confusing or downright befuddling. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 7, 290–298.
3.
BriarsD., & LarkinJ. (1984). An integrated model of skill in solving elementary word problems. Cognition and Instruction, 1, 245–296.
4.
BreaultM. (1983). The effects of selected variables in the arithmetical problem solving of learning disabled children. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Connecticut, Storrs.
5.
CawleyJ. (1985). Cognition and the learning disabled. In CawleyJ. (Ed.), Cognitive strategies and mathematics for the learning disabled (pp. 1–32). Rockville, MD: Aspen Systems Corp.
6.
CawleyJ.FitzmauriceA.M.ShawR.KahnH., & BatesH. (1979). Math word problems: Suggestions for LD students. Learning Disability Quarterly, 2, 25–41.
7.
CawleyJ., & MillerJ. (1986). Selected views on metacognition, problem solving, and learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Focus, 2, 36–48.
8.
CawleyJ., & MillerJ. (1987). Arithmetical problem solving among learning disabled and mildly retarded children. Submitted for publication.
9.
CawleyJ., & MillerJ. (in progress). Developmental inquiry of mathematics acquisition: Comparison of mildly retarded and learning disabled. Research in progress. New Orleans: University of New Orleans.
10.
Executive Summary (1984). Sixth Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of Public Law 94–142. Exceptional Children, 51, 199–202.
11.
FleischnerJ., & O'LoughlinM. (1985). Solving story problems: Implications of research for teaching the learning disabled. In CawleyJ. (Ed.), Cognitive strategies and mathematics for the learning disabled (pp. 163–182). Rockville, MD: Aspen Systems Corp.
12.
JonesE.KrouseJ.DeoreneD., & SafersteinC. (1985). A comparison of concurrent and sequential instruction of four types of verbal math problems. Remedial and Special Education, 6, 625–631.
13.
MontagueM., & BosC.S. (1986). The effect of cognitive strategy training on verbal math problem solving performance of learning disabled adolescents. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 19, 26–33.
14.
MoralesR.ShuteV., & PellegrinoJ. (1985). Developmental differences in understanding and solving simple mathematics word problems. Cognition and Instruction, 2, 1–39.
15.
National Council of Teacher of Mathematics. (1980). Priorities in school mathematics.Reston, VA: National Council of Teachings of Mathematics.
16.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (1986). Better teaching, better mathematics: The perfect mix for 86. Sixtyfourth annual convention of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Washington, DC.
17.
ResnickL., & ResnickD. (1985). Standards, curriculum and performance: An historical and comparative perspective. Educational Researcher, 14, 5–29.
18.
TrenholmeB.LarsenS., & ParkerR. (1978). The effects of grammatical complexity upon arithmetic performance. Learning Disability Quarterly, 1, 8–85.
