The crucial role of narrative thought in understanding story problems

• Main Author: Rosetta Zan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dipartimento formazione e apprendimento - Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana; Repubblica e Canton Ticino - Dipartimento dell'educazione, della cultura e dello sport (DECS) 2017-11-01
• Series: Didattica della Matematica
• Subjects: word problem; story problem; representation; solution; narrative thought; logical thought; sense-making
• Online Access: http://www.rivistaddm.ch/wp-content/uploads/volume-02/2017_02_Zan_EN.pdf

Within the solution of a mathematical word problem, the preliminary understanding process is viewed as crucial. This process shows critical points both in the case of a rather poor problem text and in the case of a very rich text, as shown by many answers given by students and reported in the literature, characterized by an apparent ‘suspension of sense-making’. In this communication, we propose an interpretation of this phenomenon, based upon the interplay between what Bruner calls the “narrative” and “ logical” modes of thought.