Math word problem-solving skills instruction is a challenge, but that challenge can be met. Teachers can help ensure that students (Grades 7-12) in inclusive classrooms succeed when solving mathematical word problems by using the Solve It! instructional approach. Solve It! is designed to help students develop the processes and strategies used by good problem solvers. Instruction in mathematical problem solving is provided in lessons that:

• Teach critical cognitive and meta cognitive processes.
• Improve students’ motivation to solve problems.

Even more important is that this approach is based on evidence collected from research done in a standard mathematics curriculum.

The Evidence on Solve It!

Solve It! was first validated and refined in three separate intervention studies with students between 12 and 18 years of age with mathematical learning disabilities. More recently, Solve It! was validated in two large research studies with a total of 1,059 students, conducted in inclusive general education math classrooms with average-achieving students, low-achieving students, and students with learning disabilities. Students were administered Solve It! math word problem-solving skills instruction. Researchers found that these students evidenced significantly greater growth in math problem-solving ability than the comparison group students who received only the district curriculum. In contrast with the comparison group, they also experienced greater growth and improvement on the state math assessment. [Read a summary of the research base.]

Teachers who use Solve It! for math word problem-solving skills instruction can help students develop the processes and strategies used by good problem solvers. The instructional guide and accompanying CD provide instructional guidelines, curriculum-based measures, scripted lessons, extension activities, student materials, and an Excel® spreadsheet application for creating student progress charts.

What’s in the Solve It! Package

The instructional guide contains everything you need to use Solve It! Here is the table of contents:

• Overview of Solve It! Instruction
• Solve It! Instructional Components
• Solve It! Class Charts
• Solve It! Cue Cards
• Solve It! Scripted Lessons and Implementation Calendar
• Guidelines to Embed Solve It! in the Curriculum
• Solve It! Practice Sessions
• Monitoring Progress Using Curriculum-Based Measures
• CBM Administration, Scoring, and Graphing Procedures
• Techniques to Foster Skill Maintenance and Generalization
• Solve It! Booster Sessions
• Solve It! Problem-Solving Extension Activities
• References

The included CD, in addition, contains the following items:

• Solve It! Scripted Lessons 1–3
• Solve It! Class Chart (RPV-HECC)
• Solve It! Class Chart (Say-Ask-Check)
• Solve It! Student Cue Card Assembly Instructions
• Solve It! Student Cue Cards
• Solve It! Class Star Chart
• Solve It! Curriculum-Based Measures (CBM–1 through CBM–6)
• Solve It! CBM Answer Keys (CBM–1 through CBM–6)
• Solve It! Student Progress Graph (PDF format)
• Solve It! Directions for Using Excel® Spreadsheet
• Solve It! Student Progress Graph (Excel format)

What’s more is that Solve It! processes align with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (Click to see alignment). Solve It! also aligns with standards in states that have not adopted CCSS (Alaska, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas , Virginia). Click on the individual state to review alignment.

NOTE: If you purchased the eBook version, you will download a zip file that contains a folder (“Files Folder”) which includes the individual files for instructional use that are referenced in the book and a pdf of the Solve It! Grades 7-12 book.

Read an excerpt of this publication in PDF.