Analyzing the impact of Structures of Equality in classrooms

For years, teachers have struggled with how to help students with word problems. A quick internet search will pull up tons of strategies for solving word problems. The barrier? None of them adequately address the issue of reading comprehension.

“Word problems in mathematics often pose a challenge because they require that students read and comprehend the text of the problem, identify the question that needs to be answered, and finally create and solve a numerical equation.” (Reading Rockets, Brenda Krick-Morales)

A Quick Recap

In blog 1, we dug into the reasons students struggle with word problems and teacher frustrations.

In blog 2, we further discussed the challenges with math word problems due to comprehension issues and the shortcomings of 4 common strategies.

In blog 3, you got a brief introduction to the SoEs and how they came to be.

In blog 4, you learned about the components of SoEs (values, labels, and the line of equality) and how they were inspired by Singapore bar models.

But do they work?

Structures of Equality is a reading comprehension tool to help students understand what story problems are asking. When students understand the context of a story, they can successfully determine which operation to use. No more plucking out a number, looking for a key word, or randomly choosing an operation.

And when students understand what problems are asking them to do, teachers are able to assess what students know and can do around the mathematics.

The data speaks for itself.

Classroom 1 – consistent use of Structures of Equality

• Mid-year benchmark testing proficiency percentage on the algebra strand – 91.4%
  • Exceeded the district average by 17.1%
  • Exceeded the school average by 16.3%
• End of year benchmark average for Objective 1.06 (flexibility in problem solving) – 81%
• Number of students who did not pass the End of Grade (EOG) test – 1

Classroom 2 – some use of Structures of Equality

• End of year benchmark average for Objective 1.06 (flexibility in problem solving) – 75%
• Number of students who did not pass the End of Grade (EOG) test – 4

Classroom 3 – little to no use of Structures of Equality

• End of year benchmark average for Objective 1.06 (flexibility in problem solving) – 67%
• Number of students who did not pass the End of Grade (EOG) test – 6

Scores were directly correlated with the consistency of implementation of SoEs. Classrooms with higher use had higher scores. This included students that were not projected to pass their EOGs at the beginning of the year.

Okay, they work. But why?

Structures of Equality is a reading comprehension tool. To complete the diagram, students must have an understanding of what the problem is asking. Through explicit, scaffolded instruction students learn how to dissect story problems to make sense of them. They then create visual representations that help them determine which operation to use. 

These models allow teachers to see where comprehension is breaking down. It also ensures that teachers understand whether the misconceptions students have are related to understanding what the problem is asking, or the computations.

How do I begin?

1. Subscribe to my email list (form below). You’ll get bi-weekly emails with actionable tips, along with access to free resources before they hit my website.
2. Explore the resources on my website.
3. Just start! Even if you’re not yet confident with SoEs, the emails, blogs, and my website will give you tools you can use to begin even if you haven’t attended PD.

Explore Singapore bar models, the foundation upon which SoEs were built.

Conclusion

Incorporating Structures of Equality (SoEs) fosters math comprehension by aiding students in understanding problem contexts and selecting appropriate operations. Consistent SoE use correlates with improved scores, benefiting both struggling and proficient students. Educators can leverage these tools to enhance teaching strategies and empower students with problem-solving.