Dive Brief:
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One of the best ways to make word problems in math curriculum more engaging for students is to design them so they’re relevant to students’ interests and illustrate a concept’s practical use.
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Word problems can help students see how math is used in everyday life and it can be used to solve an issue rather than just presenting details to memorize, said Kevin Dykema, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and an 8th grade math teacher at Mattawan Middle School in Michigan.
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“When we use math word problems, it continues to help students see [math’s] usefulness and relevance,” Dykema said.“In the context of real-world situations, it’s not just math — it’s how we solve real problems.”
Dive Insight:
For teachers looking for ways to engage students, Dykema is a fan of using artificial intelligence to help design word problems that tie into students’ interests or current events. For example, educators can reference the 2024 Summer Olympics that are underway for summer assignments, or link the games to lessons when school returns in the fall.
“If they’re working on solving the area of a triangle, and students have an interest in gymnastics, [teachers] can put that into ChatGPT and find a starting point,” Dykema said. “You can use AI to help come up with word problems that are more engaging and connected to their passions.”
Word problems also offer a way to bring cross-curricular opportunities into math lessons. Math educators can work with teachers in other subjects to design problems linking math skills to topics ranging from English language arts to science.
Dykema noted that developing cross-curricular opportunities can be tricky for educators who don’t always have the time during their day to devote to this kind of approach. But, he said, educators can also harness student help to develop ideas.
For example, he suggests that teachers give students a scenario, and then ask them to pose questions about that situation by tapping into the data provided. Students can be asked what problems they want to solve, and what they need in order to find the answers.
“That will increase the likelihood students will be engaged as they learn about the topics,” Dykema said.
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