Enhancing Upper Secondary Students’ Achievement in Sentence-Based Mathematics Problem Solving: Challenges and Instructional Strategies

Abstract

Students’ positive perceptions of sentence-based mathematics problem solving have been shown to support better performance and overall achievement in Mathematics. However, many students continue to struggle with sentence-based problem solving, a persistent issue in the Malaysian context where limited problem-solving skills remain a major concern. Mathematics teachers also face considerable difficulties in teaching sentence-based problems, particularly in helping students to comprehend problem contexts and apply mathematical concepts to real-life situations. Therefore, this study aims to identify the challenges encountered by Mathematics teachers when teaching sentence-based problem solving and to explore the teaching strategies they employ to support students’ learning. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach and was conducted in a secondary school in Subang Jaya, Selangor. The findings are presented across three dimensions: students’ perceptions, teachers’ challenges, and the teaching strategies used in sentence-based Mathematics problem solving. A total of 175 upper secondary students (Forms 4 and 5) were selected through stratified sampling to examine students’ perceptions. Ten Mathematics teachers from the same school participated in the investigation of teaching challenges, while four teachers were interviewed to obtain qualitative insights into instructional strategies. The results indicate that upper secondary students generally hold poor perceptions of sentence-based Mathematics problem solving. The study further reveals that the primary challenges faced by teachers stem from student-related factors, particularly students’ weak mathematical foundations and limited mastery of essential mathematical skills. Several effective strategies were identified, including the use of Polya’s problem-solving steps, problem-based learning in groups, questioning techniques, contextual learning, and structured group discussions. These findings provide valuable insights into students’ perceptions and teachers’ challenges, enabling Mathematics educators to adopt more effective instructional approaches. Nevertheless, further research involving larger samples and diverse school settings is recommended to deepen understanding and refine strategies for teaching sentence-based Mathematics problem solving.