Reading+Reflection+3

//By: Brian Bottge and Ted Hasselbring//
 * A Comparison of Two Approaches for Teaching Compex, Authentic Mathematics Problems to Adolescents in Remedial Math Classes**

This article looks two different approaches to teaching probem solving to adolescents with learning difficulties in Mathematics.

Approach 1 Using standard word problems

Approach 2 Involving a contextualized problem on videodisc

All of the problems that were looked at involved adding and subtracting fractions in relation to money and linear measurements. The resuts of the study indicated that both groups of students improved their perfomance at solving the problems. The students in the contextualized problem group did signigcantly better than the sandard word problem group. This group also showed that they were able to use their skils in two transfer tasks that followed instruction.

This study indicated the need to incorporate technology into the class as a means of supporting students who may have learning difficulties. One of the goals of my field study was to reach some of the lower achieving students with the technology. This article reaffirmed that this strategy was educationally sound. While I did not see a great deal of improvement in my lower achieving students it is something that I will continue to use as a means of reaching those students.