THE EFFECTS OF CONCEPTUAL MODEL-BASED PROBLEM-SOLVING INTERVENTION ON ADDITIVE WORD PROBLEM SOLVING OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WITH MATHEMATICS LEARNING DIFFICULTIES IN CHINA

In China, students identified as having mathematics learning difficulties (MLD) struggle in solving mathematical word problems. In this study, three 3rd-graders with MLD received a Conceptual Model-Based Problem Solving (COMPS) intervention on word-problem solving. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of the COMPS intervention on the performance on additive word-problem solving for Chinese elementary students with MLD. Adapted multiple-baseline and single-subject designs were used. Findings showed that all participants improved their word-problem solving performance and generalized the skill to a curriculum-based test. As a result, this study not only extends the population for this type of intervention but also replicates its effect on the word-problem solving of Chinese students with MLD. The COMPS intervention supports students’ understanding of word problems and improving their skills of representing and solving word problems. The study also provides Chinese educators with an effective strategy for helping their students with MLD.