What Makes Word Problem-Solving Difficult? Factors InfluencingWord Problem-Solving Ability

An essential aspect of mathematics education is represented by word problem-solving. Word problems pose challenges for many students worldwide, underscoringthe needto comprehendthe factors influencingthis maths ability. Drawing upon the theoretical framework proposed by Daroczy et al. (2015), this contribution examines three primary factors contributing to students’ difficulties in solving word problems. Firstly, it investigates how the inherent characteristics of the problems themselves (i.e. linguistic features, numerical features, and their interaction) influence the problems’ complexity and increase cognitive load. Secondly, it discusses the cognitive abilities, both domain-specific and domain-general, that are involved in word problemsolving. Lastly, it considers the role of environmental factors such as textbooks, technology integration, and quality of teaching. By examining the impact of each factor, we advocate for pedagogical approaches that prioritize deep understanding of the situation described in the problems.