Objective
Learn why using keywords is not a dependable strategy to solve word problems.
What You’ll Learn
Why can’t I use keywords? There are four main reasons:
- It’s not real math
- They are inconsistent
- Not all problems have keywords
- Doesn’t work for two-step problems
And the biggest reason?
What we teach students in primary grades affects their learning in higher grades. If we teach students to bypass the math and to depend on strategies that don’t always work we set them up for failure as they encounter more difficult math problems.
Watch the video for a more in-depth explanation of each of the reasons. Download the PDF and complete a few word problems. Analyze whether or not the keywords help you solve the word problem.
Download Activities & Notes
Amy Mohsin says
This is awesome! I have definitely relied on ‘key words’ in teaching word problems. And you’re right, it just isn’t good math!
Sandra Eslick says
The explanation is very clear. It makes sense. The part that really hit home was upper level word problems. Distractor prevent most students from reaching level 4 on our state mandated test. They can do the math, but struggle at the higher level thinking.
Sarah Cedar says
I can see that by attempting the two step word problem it can be confusing with the key word used in the text. Only one of the steps can use the key word and the second step requires understanding of the word text.
Erin Grisham says
Agree! As my students work through word problems, the multiple step word problems seem to be the most challenging because relying on the key words doesn’t work. They become so confused. They need to understand the context of the problem.