Are Word Problems Really More Difficult for Students with Low Language Proficiency? Investigating Percent Items in Different Formats and Types

Birte Pöhler; Ann Cathrice George; Susanne Prediger; Henrike Weinert

doi:10.29333/iejme/641

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Birte Pöhler, Ann Cathrice George, Susanne Prediger, Henrike Weinert

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Abstract

Achievement gaps between students with low and high language proficiency appear for word problems, but is this due to their text format or their conceptual challenges? A test with percent problems of different types and in pure, text and visual format was conducted with N=308 seventh graders. Students’ scores were analyzed statistically by a cognitive diagnosis model. Unlike expected, the probability for students with low language proficiency to solve items in text format is not lower than in pure format. These results are interpreted as indication that conceptual challenges might impact stronger than reading challenges.

Keywords

Percentages
word problems
cognitive diagnosis model
DINA
visual models
language proficiency

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INT ELECT J MATH ED, Volume 12, Issue 3, October 2017, 667-687

https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/641

Publication date: 31 Oct 2017

Article Views: 4062

Article Downloads: 2879

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How to cite this article

APA

Pöhler, B., George, A. C., Prediger, S., & Weinert, H. (2017). Are Word Problems Really More Difficult for Students with Low Language Proficiency? Investigating Percent Items in Different Formats and Types. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 12(3), 667-687. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/641

Vancouver

Pöhler B, George AC, Prediger S, Weinert H. Are Word Problems Really More Difficult for Students with Low Language Proficiency? Investigating Percent Items in Different Formats and Types. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2017;12(3):667-87. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/641

AMA

Pöhler B, George AC, Prediger S, Weinert H. Are Word Problems Really More Difficult for Students with Low Language Proficiency? Investigating Percent Items in Different Formats and Types. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2017;12(3), 667-687. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/641

Chicago

Pöhler, Birte, Ann Cathrice George, Susanne Prediger, and Henrike Weinert. "Are Word Problems Really More Difficult for Students with Low Language Proficiency? Investigating Percent Items in Different Formats and Types". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education 2017 12 no. 3 (2017): 667-687. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/641

Harvard

Pöhler, B., George, A. C., Prediger, S., and Weinert, H. (2017). Are Word Problems Really More Difficult for Students with Low Language Proficiency? Investigating Percent Items in Different Formats and Types. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 12(3), pp. 667-687. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/641

MLA

Pöhler, Birte et al. "Are Word Problems Really More Difficult for Students with Low Language Proficiency? Investigating Percent Items in Different Formats and Types". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 12, no. 3, 2017, pp. 667-687. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/641