4 Summary

This unit has explored some of the issues around word problems and their capacity for working on mathematical thinking processes.

Students can find it hard to engage with and solve word problems; however, there are ways to overcome such barriers. Suggested approaches in this unit were:

• linking enactive/iconic/symbolic representations
• using imagination to create contextualised stories around mathematical statements
• rephrasing word problems.

Pause for thought Identify the techniques or strategies you have learned in this unit that you might use in your classroom, and some ideas that you want to explore further.