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Translation of Word Problems by Year 6 Lower Ability Students: An Action Research Project
Min Chern Lim & Kai Kow Joseph YeoAlthough there is general endorsement among mathematics educators and researchers on the significance of translations in mathematical comprehension, there is substantial evidence that students struggle to accurately translate verbal, tabular, graphical and algebraic representations of mathematical relations (Gagatsis & Shiakalli, 2004; Galbraith & Haines, 2000; Porzio, 1999; Wollman, 1983). This action research set out to investigate the effects of using translation on raising the understanding of word problems involving fractions among Year 6 lower ability students. The “Fast Food Approach” (FFA) was designed by integrating elements from Polya’s four stages of problem solving (1957) and The Problem Wheel (Lee, 2008) with the intent of providing a structure to enhance students’ ability to translate in order to better “understand the (word) problem”. The study employed a single- group pre-test and post-test design involving an intact Year 6 class of lower ability students from a primary school in Singapore. The findings indicated that FFA may be used to enhance the process of problem solving, as well as improve students’ attitude towards and self-confidence in mathematics and problem-solving abilities.

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Research papers will be blind reviewed by a panel of peers approved by the conference committee. The main purpose of the refereeing process is to contribute to the growth and development of quality practice in mathematics education research. Thus reviewers are asked to assist authors by providing helpful feedback and to comment on the suitability of papers for presentation at the conference. Accordingly, it will not be assumed that published papers presented at the conference will be as polished as articles in scholarly journals. Referees will be asked to assess papers being reviewed against the accepted norms for scholarly works presented at MERGA conferences, as set out above.

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