Abstract:

The research is related within the sphere of word mathematical problem solving, which in many cases is problematic for elementary school students. Research question: Is it successful the teaching methodological approach that focuses on solving mathematical word problems in elementary classes through graphical representation of data? The study aims to highlight the role and benefit of graphical data representations in solving word mathematical problems in elementary classes. The research method is action research. Students of the second grade were involved in the study which was conducted in 2019. Students were taught to solve word mathematical problems using a special table with four boxes in which they had to present the task data, the main question, a graphical representation of the task data and the relationships between them, and the solution. Data collection method was students’ questioning and semi-structured face-to-face interview, and analysis of problem solutions done by students. The results of the research reveal that graphical representation of a problem data helps students better understand the relations of data to the problem solving path. A graphical representation of a problem data plays an important role in students' understanding of a problem solving process and effectively helps them develop their problem solving skills.

Keywords:

Graphical representation, problem solving, primary school, 2nd grade.