Examining Five Problem Solving Process Skills in Subtraction

This study investigated the performance of 74 §Hispanic limited English proficient fourth grade §bilingual students on problem solving process skills §involving routine three-digit subtraction story §problems with regrouping. This study had two §purposes. The first purpose was to identify where §the students were having difficulties in §mathematical problem solving in relation to five §processes. By identifying which of these processes §are problematic for Hispanic limited English §proficient students, educators will be better able §to proceed with appropriate instruction in the §needed areas to improve subtraction problem solving §performance. The second purpose was to examine the §relationship between each of the five problem §solving process skills and arriving at the correct §final answer to a subtraction problem. This will §assist educators in adjusting instruction to focus §on the specific process skills that are closely §related to arriving at the correct final answer. §This is important as educators are under increasing §pressure to have students arrive at correct final §answers to all types of problems on state and §national mathematics tests.