Teaching, Learning & Culture

This article theorizes three major cognitive constructs that are operationally defined by shared similarities of processing information in reading and mathematics. Specifically, the paper (1) proposes and details the refinement and evaluation of components of a conceptual model for reading to solve mathematical word problems for elementary students, and (2) develops and refines the theoretical constructs of the model. Our assumptions lay out the interrelationships of reading and mathematics word problems by focusing on the cognitive components of Recognizing Higher Level Patterns of Text Organization (R), Generating Patterns (G), and Attaining a Goal (A). These assumptions are to refine and construct the RGA cognitive components that could theoretically enhance elementary students’ reading and solution of mathematical word problem-solving abilities.

Struggling readers are more likely to learn essential reading skills and strategies if the direct or explicit model of instruction is part of the teacher's repertoire of teaching methods. Directly/explicitly teaching reading means imparting new information to students through meaningful teacher–student interactions and teacher guidance of student learning. In this approach, the teacher clearly leads the teaching–learning process. At the

... Dee Nichols b & Timothy R. Blair c ... An educational system that bases its expectations, delivery, and curricular content solely on the norms of the mainstream population is insufficient for students of diverse backgrounds (Nichols, Rupley, Webb-Johnson, and Tlusty, 200017. ...