Overcoming Obstacles to Understanding and Solving Word Problems in Mathematics

ABSTRACT The trouble students have with solving word problems often comes from the difficulty in understanding the problem structure embedded in the problem text. This research was conducted to study the interactive effects of learner and instructional variables on understanding and solving word problems among Filipino‐English bilingual grade school students in the Philippines. The results showed better understanding and solution performance (1) when problems were written in the students’ first language, (2) when the problems were re‐worded to state more explicitly the relationship among the known and unknown quantities, (3) for students in higher levels of schooling and (4) for students with higher levels of academic achievement. The effects of re‐wording were mediated by the effects of the language; and the effects of language also varied between the highand low‐achievement students. In most cases where the students’ performance improved, the improvement seems to be due to better comprehension of the text (or fewer basic comprehension errors); except with the improvement due to re‐wording, which seems to be due to fewer misinterpretation errors. The results of the study provide further support for earlier findings, but also extend and modify the theoretical ramifications of the earlier findings and point to some important implications for educational practice.     

Modalités de prise de décision chez les filles et les garçons en la présence ou en l’absence de l’enseignant

How girls and boys take decisions in the presence and absence of a teacher – This work is part of an innovative approach to physical and sports education in Tunisia, and team sports in particular. It uses language studies carried out within the framework of this teaching both to generate a reflective attitude on the part of students, and to identify the effect of gender as a variable in the ways in which they make decisions. Discourse analysis highlights the importance of language output by girls and boys in football teaching when a teacher is present or absent. The teacher is an institutional authority who imposes specific uses of language, and when he/she is absent, emotional tensions predominate and may reflect the repression of ideas that occurs when the teacher is present. Although girls appear to take part in the discussion, their utterances are fewer in number, and their analytical statements less effective than those of boys. Girls never gain the upper hand over boys. The study also suggests a redefinition of social role divisions on the basis of gender – masculinity and femininity.     

Dialect variation,dialect-shifting,and reading comprehension in second grade

The purpose of this study was to examine second graders’ (n = 680) changing spoken nonmainstream American English (NMAE) use in relation to their oral language and reading comprehension achievement. Fall NMAE production was negatively associated with fall achievement scores. NMAE production generally decreased from fall to spring. Students who qualified for the US Free and Reduced Lunch program (FARL) and who had stronger language skills were more likely to decrease their NMAE use (i.e., dialect shifting) than their peers who did not qualify for FARL or their peers with weaker language skills. Dialect shifting for a sub-sample of 102 students who used substantial amounts of NMAE at the beginning of the school year was predicted by school context, controlling for reading and language skills—in general, students who attended more affluent schools dialect shifted to a greater extent than did their peers who attended higher poverty schools. Greater dialect shifting in this group predicted gains in reading comprehension from fall to spring.     

Listening Comprehension in Primary Level Grades Two,Four and Six

Aspects of listening comprehension skills in second-, fourth- and sixth-grade students (n=107) were investigated. The design employed the Sentence Verification Technique (SVT). Participants listened to three narrative and three expository passages, which had been recorded onto a CD, together with test sentences. Compared to the narrative passages, the expository material was more difficult to understand. Girls systematically scored higher than boys on all measures of listening comprehension although this sex difference was small and mostly nonsignificant. These results are comparable with previous findings in reading comprehension research. Age-related improvement in listening comprehension was observed with the narrative, but not with the expository passages. Cluster analysis produced four different comprehension strategies: Good Listening, Poor Listening, and two poor strategies previously hypothesised by Royer et al . (1987), viz. Top-down and Verbatim Strategies. The results are discussed from the point of view of their possible practical significance.     

Gender differences in reading: Examining text-based interest in relation to text characteristics and reading comprehension

Reading is a key competence for knowledge acquisition and learning processes. One important source of reading motivation is interest. Even though students' text-based interest often differs by gender, it remains unclear which text factors underlie these differences and whether text-based interest relates to reading comprehension among boys and girls. In a sample of 514 elementary students (47.2% girls), this study examined whether text topic, protagonists' gender, and text difficulty affect boys' and girls' text-based interest and whether interest and reading comprehension are intertwined. Based on a repeated within-subject design using fourteen narrative texts, the results indicated that boys' interest was higher in texts with male-attributed topics, male protagonists, and in more difficult texts. In contrast, girls’ interest was only affected by text difficulty. Text-based interest and reading comprehension were significantly related, albeit stronger for boys than for girls. The findings are discussed regarding future implications for research and educational practice.     

A gender comparison of contextualised study behaviour in higher education

The present study examines the manifestation of structural differences in the manner in which men and women students perceive and engage the content and context of learning. These differences are explored, and shown to be consistent, within a hierarchy of progressively more complex conceptual models of student learning. Conclusions are that structural gender variation differences emerge in terms of deep/strategic rather than surface, forms of learning behaviour: men students distinctively manifest and qualify deep/strategic learning behaviour in terms of operation and comprehension learning styles, while women students integrate these styles in a manifestation of style versatility that is clearly organised and not achievement motivated. An apparently separate female trait is distinguishable in terms of comprehension learning style and achievement motivation. It is argued that gender differences constitute a potentially important and neglected source of variation in student learning which, when detected in context, can and should be explicitly managed by academic practitioners.     

Culture,motivation, and reading achievement: High school students in 41 countries

This study examined how cultural values and family cultural capital were linked to adolescents' motivation and reading achievement using multilevel analyses on reading tests and questionnaire responses of 193,841 fifteen-year-olds in 41 countries. In countries that valued more rigid gender roles, girls had lower reading achievement than girls in other countries. Also, the link between extrinsic motivation and achievement was weaker for both boys and girls in more masculine countries than those in other countries, supporting the view that discouraging students from their preferred non-traditional career tracks reduces competition for the remaining students. This reduces the impact of extrinsic motivation on reading achievement for both types of students. Students with more family cultural capital (cultural possessions and cultural communication) had higher interest in reading, extrinsic motivation, effort and perseverance, and higher reading achievement than other students. These findings can inform education policy to improve students' reading achievement.     

Grade Level and Gender Differences in the Writing Self-Beliefs of Middle School Students

The objectives of this study were to determine whether middle school students' writing self-efficacy beliefs make an independent contribution to the prediction of their writing competence and to explore grade level and gender differences in writing self-beliefs (N = 742). Writing self-efficacy was the only motivation construct to predict writing competence in a model that included writing self-concept, writing apprehension, perceived value of writing, self-efficacy for self-regulation, previous writing achievement, gender, and grade level. Girls were more competent writers than were boys, but there were no gender differences in writing self-efficacy beliefs. However, when students were asked whether they were better writers than their peers, girls expressed that they were better writers than were other boys or girls in their class or in their school to a greater degree than did the boys. These findings suggest that girls and boys may use a different metric when responding to traditional self-efficacy scales. Students in Grade 6 reported higher self-efficacy and found writing more valuable than did their older peers, and students in Grade 7 reported lower writing self-beliefs than did students in Grades 6 or 8.     

性格与英语网络教学效果之影响因素探讨

如何根据学生的个体特征因材施教是当前教育所面临的主要问题,显然性格不同,个体特征也不同,因此对关于学生的性格对教学效果的影响状况的研究尤为重要。以安庆师范学院部分学生为研究对象,以大学英语网络教学为例,探讨学生性格与教学效果之间的影响因素,以便更好地为教学服务。实验结果表明：（1）不同性格学生的英语学习动机存在显著性差异,外向型的学生学习动机要强于内向型的学生,但性格与学习动机的类型没有明显的关系。（2）性格与参与程度之间存在极其显著的差异,外向性格的学生的课堂参与度要远大于内向型学生。（3）调查结果显示在英语的听力、口语、阅读、写作四大项中口语和阅读受性格的影响：外向型学生的口语比内向型的学生要好,但阅读却比内向型学生要差：听力和写作的总体水平受性格影响不大。     

中学生成就动机的特点与培养对策

本研究对309名中学生进行问卷调查,借以探讨中学生成就动机的特点,并提出相应的教育对策。结果表明:中学男生的成就动机显著高于女生,具体表现为男生的避免失败动机明显低于女生,追求成功的动机则不存在明显差异;初中生与高中生的成就动机无显著差异;普通中学学生的成就动机高于重点中学学生,具体表现为普通中学学生的追求成功动机高于重点中学学生,而普通中学初中生的避免失败动机低于重点中学初中生。根据这一结果,中学生成就动机的培养应特别关注女生以及重点中学的学生,并考虑学生的年级特点。     

The Role of Gender and Reading Competence in the Development of Motivational Orientations from Kindergarten to Grade 1

This longitudinal study examined gender differences in motivation and the role of reading prerequisites, that is phonemic and comprehension skills, in the formation of motivational tendencies from kindergarten up to grade 1. The longitudinal sample consisted of 157 Finnish-speaking children. Teachers rated children's adaptive goals, (i.e. task orientation and social dependence orientation) at four points of time, kindergarten-spring, preschool-fall, preschool-spring and in the fall of grade 1. Children's phonemic awareness and language comprehension skills were assessed in kindergarten at the initiation of the study (i.e. initial phoneme identification, rhyming, writing of the alphabet, listening and instruction comprehension). Word reading and reading comprehension skills were assessed at the end of grade 1 in the three groups of children at risk for reading failure and in children with high reading prerequisites. The results showed that gender and early phonemic and language comprehension differences were associated with divergent motivational-developmental trajectories. Children with low phonemic or low language comprehension skill showed higher social dependence and lower task orientation over time than children with high initial reading prerequisites. In particular, boys with low reading prerequisites underwent a negative motivational change. The group of children who had poor phonemic and poor language comprehension skills showed most unfavorable development of motivation and reading. Findings concerning motivational trajectories are discussed with regard to the lack of fit between child's competence and curriculum demands.     

Transfer of a Listening Comprehension Strategy to Independent Reading in First-Grade Students

Instruction in narrative text structure on first graders' listening and reading comprehension was examined with a view to documenting strategy instruction and transfer of learning in beginning readers. Of interest was whether or not first-grade students (n=35) would, following instruction within the context of listening to stories, gain in listening comprehension and transfer this knowledge to support reading comprehension. A comparison group (n=31) received basal activities including listening to and reading stories. Results support teaching text structure concepts to beginning readers. At post-test, the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher listening comprehension, but not free recall, than the comparison group. Persistent group differences were found for reading comprehension. Intervention group students demonstrated superior comprehension in relation to all story elements and more frequently displayed metalinguistic awareness of text structure by labeling and giving examples of story structure concepts.     

Strategy use,listening problems,and motivation of high- and low-proficiency Chinese listeners

Building on previous listening strategy research, the author aimed to explore the differences between Chinese high-proficiency listeners (HLs) and low-proficiency listeners (LLs) on their strategy use, problems, and motivation in native language (L1) listening. It involved 1,290 Grade 7 and 1,515 Grade 9 students. Both quantitative and qualitative methods, including a listening comprehension test, questionnaires, and interviews, were adopted. The findings indicated that HLs possessed more types of strategies and used strategies more frequently and effectively than LLs. HLs not only reported fewer listening problems but also had a better awareness of listening problems and use of problem-solving strategies than LLs. Both HLs and LLs agreed with the importance of listening but showed little interest in doing listening tasks. The similarities and differences between the findings of this study and those of second-language listening research and implications for planning effective instruction to enhance native language listening proficiency are discussed.     

Gender differences in adolescents’ academic motivation and classroom behaviour

The present study investigated gender differences in adolescents’ academic motivation and classroom behaviour and gender differences in the extent to which motivation was associated with, and predicted, classroom behaviour. Seven hundred and fifty students (384 boys and 366 girls) aged 11–16 (M age?=?14.0, 1.59 SD) completed a questionnaire examining academic motivation and teachers completed assessments of their classroom behaviour. Girls generally reported higher levels of academic motivation, whilst teacher reports of behaviour were poorer for boys. Interestingly, boys’ reported levels of academic motivation were significantly more closely associated with teacher reports of their classroom behaviour. Furthermore, cognitive aspects of boys’ motivation were better predictors of their classroom behaviour than behavioural aspects. On the other hand, behavioural aspects of girls’ motivation were better predictors of their behaviour. Implications for understanding the relationship between motivation and behaviour among adolescent boys and girls are discussed, in addition to interventions aimed at improving adolescents’ classroom behaviour.     

On Gender Differences of the Relationships between Meta-cognitive Strategy Use and Listening Achievement

The present research aims to find out(1) What are gender differences of Meta-cognitive Strategy Use and Listening Achievement(2) What are the correlation between male and female students’meta-cognitive strategy use and their listening achievement.236 subjects,including 153 girls and 83 boys,in a medical university located in Guangxi participate in the research.The results show:(1) both male and female have significant differences in their use of meta-cognition,planning and evaluating but this is not the case in their listening achievement.Moreover,female obtains higher means in meta-cognitive strategies use and gets higher listening achievement than male;(2) male and female’s overall meta-cognition and planning significantly correlate with their listening proficiency and male’s correlations are slightly higher than female’s;(3) only male high-achievers highly correlates their listening with meta-cognition,monitoring and evaluating at a significant level and just female low-achievers significantly correlate their listening achievement with meta-cognition.     

Gender,science choice and achievement: a Maltese perspective

Drawing on a number of studies, this paper explores gender differentials in the choice of science subjects at secondary school level, factors influencing choice, differences in achievement and recruitment to science courses at a higher level in the particular educational context of the Maltese Islands. In this context all secondary schools are single‐sex, the state system is highly centralized, selection and streaming are widely practised, a high proportion of students (25%) attend private schools, and physics is compulsory. The results show that: more girls than boys study physics and biology at the lower secondary level (ages 11‐16); more boys study chemistry; achievement at this level is on a par in biology and chemistry; girls achieve slightly lower in physics. At the upper secondary level (ages 16‐18), almost equal numbers of boys and girls study biology and chemistry but boys predominate in physics. Girls avoid the option of physics and mathematics, a popular choice with boys. Consequently, at tertiary level very few girls opt for courses in engineering and prefer to subscribe to courses relating to medicine.     

Reading and listening progress in segregated primary schools: Does ethnic and socioeconomic classroom composition matter?

This study aimed to investigate the relationship of classroom composition factors with reading and listening comprehension achievement and progress in socially and ethnically segregated primary schools in Flanders (Belgium). Specifically, using a three‐level multivariate repeated measures analysis, it examined the association of reading and listening achievement and progress with ethnic diversity, the proportion of non‐native students and the average socioeconomic status of the class, taking into account student characteristics. At the beginning and end of the school year, reading tests, listening tests and questionnaires were administered to a sample of 7‐ and 8‐year‐old students (n = 683) in 42 second‐grade classes. Students' listening comprehension achievement at the beginning of the school year was negatively related to having a home language other than the language of instruction and to classes with a high proportion of non‐native students. However, progress in listening comprehension was not significantly associated with any student or classroom composition factors. Students whose mothers had a lower level of education performed lower on reading comprehension at the beginning of the school year, while at the end of the school year students whose mothers had a higher level of education were at a greater disadvantage. Limitations of this study and directions for future research are discussed.     

图式理论在高职英语听力教学的运用

根据图式理论,任何文本,不论是口头文本还是书面文本,本身并不表达任何信息,而是靠人的先验知识赋予文本信息。听力则是文本输入与大脑中固有知识间的动态交互过程。将图式理论运用到英语听力教学中,通过在“听前”激活图式,在“听中”建构图式以及在“听后”巩固图式,帮助学生建立固有知识与新知识间的桥梁,不断提高其英语听力水平。     

基于语境与语篇隐性连贯的听力教学

基于语境理论,本文对大学英语听力短对话进行了深入的分析,冀望通过探讨语篇隐性连贯在语言语境、文化语境、情景语境这三大语境中的实现方式,探寻语境、语篇隐性连贯与大学英语听力教学相结合的方式,从而消除学生在听力理解中的障碍,提高听力理解水平。     

Motivational and Cognitive Predictors of Text Comprehension and Reading Amount

Motivational variables contribute to reading achievement and text comprehension through several paths. We report the results of 2 studies further examining these relations. Study 1 included 3rd and 5th graders. We measured their motivation and reading amount with questionnaires and their text comprehension with 2 performance tests. Results revealed that reading amount significantly predicted text comprehension on 2 different indicators, even when the contributions of past reading achievement, prior topic knowledge, self-efficacy for reading, and reading motivation were controlled statistically. Study 1 also showed that reading motivation significantly predicted reading amount when past reading achievement, prior topic knowledge, and self-efficacy were controlled. In Study 2, we investigated the same variables among students in Grades 8 and 10 from a nationally representative data set. Similar to Study 1, the results showed that reading amount significantly predicted text comprehension with other variables controlled. Further, motivation predicted reading amount with other variables controlled and directly predicted text comprehension. Findings were interpreted as supporting a process of attunement of motivational and cognitive goals as a function of time.