The level of difficulty in solving verbal mathematical problems among elementary school students from the perspective of teachers and educational supervisors in Benghazi city

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of difficulty in solving verbal mathematical problems among elementary school students, as perceived by teachers and educational supervisors in Benghazi. Additionally, the study aimed to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in teachers' estimations of the difficulties in solving verbal mathematical problems among elementary school students based on variables such as educational qualification, specialization, and professional experience. Furthermore, the study sought to examine whether there were statistically significant differences in the estimations of educational supervisors regarding the difficulties in solving verbal mathematical problems among elementary school students based on the variable of educational qualification. To achieve the objectives of the study, a descriptive methodology was employed. The study sample consisted of (25) educational supervisors, and a random sample of (160) teachers from government primary schools in Benghazi was selected. A questionnaire was used as a data collection tool, which included five main difficulties in solving verbal mathematical problems:(problem understanding, problem translation, problem-solving planning, problem-solving execution, and solution verification). The results indicated that the level of difficulty in solving verbal mathematical problems among elementary school students, as perceived by teachers and educational supervisors in Benghazi, was high. Furthermore, the results revealed no statistically significant differences in teachers' estimations of the difficulties in solving verbal mathematical problems among elementary school students based on variables such as educational qualification, specialization, and professional experience. Similarly, there were no statistically significant differences in the estimations of educational supervisors regarding the difficulties in solving verbal mathematical problems among elementary school students attributed to the variable of educational qualification.