Word problems — a guide for parents

Word problems — a guide for parents

Word problems — for parents

Word problems blend two skills — reading and arithmetic — and that is exactly why they are hard for some children. A child who can do 12 − 5 in two seconds may freeze up at "Anna had 12 candies, ate 5, how many left?" The math is the same; the wrapping is different.

Why word problems matter

National curricula for first grade emphasise word problems for a good reason: they bridge what kids see in real life with what they do on paper. They also build the habit of reading carefully — useful in every subject.

What's hard

  • Reading speed. A six-year-old reads slowly. By the time they get to the last word, they have forgotten the first number.
  • Pulling the operation out of words. "Sara has 4 fewer flowers than Joe" is harder than "Sara has 4 flowers and gets 5 more". Comparison stories are the trickiest.
  • Distractor numbers. Some problems mention a number that is not part of the calculation. Kids tend to try to use every number they see.

Things you can do at home

  • Make up stories from real life: "We bought 6 oranges, ate 2 — how many left?" — and let the child solve them out loud.
  • Have your child draw the story. A quick sketch turns a sentence into a picture.
  • Ask the child to read the problem aloud, then retell it in their own words. If they can retell, they understood. If not, read again.
  • Practice "what is the question?" — sometimes children try to answer before they even know what is asked.
  • Stick with one operation at a time. Add for a week, then subtract for a week, then mix them.

Words that confuse

  • "Altogether" and "in all" usually mean addition — but not always. Read the whole story.
  • "Less than" can be subtraction or just a comparison. "Sara has 3 less than Joe" is subtraction; "Sara has less than 5 books" is just a fact.

Don't fear the silly answer

If your child says "Anna has 17 candies left" when she only had 12, that is great — they tried! Ask gently: "Does that make sense? Can she have more after eating some?" That is how mathematical thinking develops.

← Subtraction word problems