Problem solving at year 3 level

Abstract

Our research involved a case study and a questionnaire. The case study was intended to investigate children's difficulties in problem solving, different ways through which children represent story sums and also strategies which they use to solve a problem (Chapter three and four). The questionnaire was aimed at acquiring the teachers' views on problem solving and their methodology in the classroom (Chapter five) To name some conclusions, it was found that : 1. Most children follow specific strategies given by the teacher while solving problems, such as, using keywords. 2. Most children have a better chance of solving a problem after they have represented it through a figure. 3. Teachers assume that language difficulties are the main ones found by pupils in problem solving. Yet language is no longer a problem as long as the children know how to read the set text. Some recommendations are given in Chapter six to help teachers teach problem sums in a more analytic way.