One More Time: The Need for More Mathematical Problem Solving and What the Research Says About It

Abstract

This article reviews recent research in math problem solving for students with learning disabilities. Two recently published syntheses of research on mathematics by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) are used as frameworks for interpreting this body of work. A significant amount of the work in special education over the last decade is consonant with the IES syntheses. At the same time, there are concerns regarding the role of explicitness in teaching problem solving as well as the relative lack of attention to discourse that should be considered as the field moves forward in this area of mathematics.