Apprendre à résoudre des problèmes en favorisant la construction d’une représentation alternative chez des élèves scolarisés en éducation prioritaire

in Psychologie Française (2014), 59(3), 215-229

In arithmetic problems solving, the representation of the problem spontaneously induced by the content of the statement is not always compatible with the solving strategy. This study evaluates a learning ... [more ▼]

In arithmetic problems solving, the representation of the problem spontaneously induced by the content of the statement is not always compatible with the solving strategy. This study evaluates a learning approach designed to lead pupils to build an alternative representation to the one spontaneously induced. In this paper, we evaluate the efficiency of this learning approach with children with learning difficulties enrolled in a priority education network. This learning by semantic recoding is a process based on an analogy between the problems and a comparison of strategies. The results show that after learning, the pupils built alternative representations. [less ▲]

Promoting the construction of alternative representations in arithmetic problem solving with 4th and 5th grade pupils

Poster (2013, March)

The underlying assumption was that the nature of the variable involved in an arithmetical problem in which there are several solving strategies influences the construction of the representation and might ... [more ▼]

The underlying assumption was that the nature of the variable involved in an arithmetical problem in which there are several solving strategies influences the construction of the representation and might force the strategy used, hiding the possibilities to become aware of others (Gamo, Taabane & sander, 2011). This study intended to lead pupils to build an alternative representation than those spontaneously induced by the statement. It investigated the role of training of semantic recoding based on an analogy between the problems and a comparison of strategies to facilitate transfer of problem-solving strategies in problems sharing the same formal mathematical structure but differing in semantic representation [less ▲]

Transfer of strategy use by semantic recoding in arithmetic problem solving

in Learning and Instruction (2010), 20

Transfer of strategies between problems sharing the same formal structure is facilitated by a semantic recoding that makes evident the structural similarities between the problems. Two experiments were ... [more ▼]

Transfer of strategies between problems sharing the same formal structure is facilitated by a semantic recoding that makes evident the structural similarities between the problems. Two experiments were carried out among 4th and 5th grade pupils, with an experimental group trained to compare strategies in order to reinterpret an arithmetic word problem so that the calculations are consistent with the interpretation, and a control group. The experimental group in Experiment 1 improved significantly by choosing the alternative strategy in problems different from those used in training but no significant progress was observed in the control group. Experiment 2 showed that the improvement observed in the experimental group could not be attributed to the fact that children only learned to use a superficial rule. These results support the idea that the activity of problem re-representation may be a crucial step in mathematization. [less ▲]