On Today’s Episode All About Access the Word Problem:

• What a launch routine is
• The steps in a launch routine
• How to tailor the launch routine to meet your students’ needs

Do you have student who struggle to access word problems? If you do, you’re not alone. It is THE MOST common question I get from teachers. The truth is our students struggle to get started on word problems because they don’t have access the word problem. Let’s break down what access is. 

Access to a Word Problem Means:

• Being able to read the problem 

• Comprehending the problem 

• Understanding what the problem is asking 

• Figuring out what to do once you’ve read the problem, what’s the first step to solving?

So what do we do to help our students access the math word problem?

My best advice is to launch the word problem with students. Now, this means that you spend 3 to 5 minutes help students gain this access to the problem. You’ll need to make some decisions based on the problem type and your specific group of students. However, the basic structure of the launch is a good place to start so that you can establish a launch routine. Then, you’ll be able to refine it to meet the specific needs of your group.

What is a launch routine?

A launch routine is a series of exercises to help students read and understand the word problem, while also building their independence in breaking down problems.

The launch routine is part of a bigger research based strategy I use with my students that I call Word Problem Workshop. I’ve been working on this strategy for a decade in my own classroom and coaching others to implement in their classrooms. The launch routine is the first step, however the following steps are critical as well. Simply the Word Problem Workshop routine is Launch, Grapple, Discuss, Reflect. Obviously that’s an oversimplification of the workshop, but might give you an idea of this student centered approach. 

Let’s discuss the 3 steps you can take to start a launch routine that will help every student gain access to the word problem. 

Step 1 – Create a daily routine where you launch.

This should feel like a ritual for students. They know that every time we take out our word problem we will launch. They should know the steps and soon they will internalize those steps and do them on their own. That means you’ll need to create this routine that is both simple and predictable, but also leads to the support students need to be ready to problem solve.

Step 2 – Read the problem to the students.

This might be controversial, but I think it is imparative. Of course we want our students tobuild their reading skills so that they can read the problems themselves. However, often times in my classroom my students would struggle with reading, but not math. However, they struggled in math because they struggled with reading. This left so unfair. I wanted my students to know what they knew and could do in math. I wanted to see their math understanding, and not assess their reading comprehension in math. So, part of the launch routine is ALWAYS to read the problem to students.

You may have heard of the 3 reads strategy– where you read the problem with a different focus each time. This is a great strategy. If you’re using this wonderful!! Keep it up. This strategy often includes a partner or choral read which are great ways to engage every student in reading the problem while still being supported. 

Step 3- Tailor the launch to your students.

One of the ways I like to launch is by having students do a retelling of the problem. This allows me to assess their understanding while also getting students actively involved in more than just reading, but comprehending the problem. You’ll want to tailor your launch to your students needs. For example, I taught 3rd grade in a school where most students did not struggle with the reading portion of the task, but of the conceptualizing oft he problem. They had a harder time visualizing the context and thinning about what was happening in the problem and how that related to their solving. So, I used different strategies from reading class like retelling, visualizing, acting out, drawing and describing to help students engage in the launch to be ready to solve.

So, as you craft your daily routine tailor it to your students needs. Then, be prepared to alter it as their needs change. For example, in my 3rd grade classes I often pulled back on the teacher support as we went through the year to prepare them for the April state test where they had to do the majority of the reading independently. Our launch was still predictable and consistent, however I included more independent elements.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Launch: Word Problems (A Virtual PD Experience)
Word Problem Workshop

You might also like…

5 Steps to a Student Centered Math Class
Principles to Action: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All
84: Productive Struggle: Building Confident Problem Solvers

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