Linking teachers’ solution strategies to their performance on fraction word problems

Abstract

Abstract Examining teachers’ knowledge of fraction word problems is important in light of research demonstrating difficulties in both teaching and learning fractions and word problems involving fractions. This study examined fourth- and fifth-grade teachers’ (N\xa0=\xa0350) written solutions to three fraction multistep word problems to unearth the salient factors contributive to performance on word problems. We found teachers’ strategies explain teachers success in solving word problems. In contrast, the characteristics of teachers’ backgrounds account for little variance in success in solving word problems. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of using informal strategies and pictorial representations in solving word problems successfully.