Simi Minhas
Math Achievement Coach
CFN 204
Suggested Process for Implementing and Embedding Tiered Word Problems
1. Shared reading: The teacher reads the word problem to the class and introduces
any new vocabulary words. The new vocabulary words are defined for the
students to promote understanding.
Mathematical Practice Standards: #1 Make sense of problems and persevere
in solving them.
2. Analyzing the Word Problem: Copies of the word problems are then handed to
the students. The students then read the problems in partnerships and highlight or
underline the key words and phrases. They discuss the problem and talk about
different ways of approaching the problem. The students should be informed that
they are not solving the problem. They are not writing anything down.
Mathematical Practice Standards: #1 Make sense of problems and persevere
in solving them.
 Look for entry points to its solution
 Plan a solution pathway
3. Solving the word problem: Students will now independently solve the word
problem. Manipulatives should be available for those students who need the
concrete models. Students should use the problem solving strategy that you have
been using in class (CRAW, CUDDLE, PNW etc). The goal for all students is to
move from concrete to abstract. All students should be encouraged to explain and
justify their thinking. For lower grades or struggling students, teachers can
provide sentence prompts like:
 The problem solving strategy that I used was…
 The operation that I used was…
 The reason I used this operation is because…
 I used____________ to solve the problem. (manipulatives)
The next steps create a culture of respect in the classroom. It helps
students understand that they are a community of learners and have
to help each other out in the learning process.
Mathematical Practice Standards
 #2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
 #4 Model with mathematics
 #5 Use appropriate tools strategically
 #6 Attend to precision
4. Math talk: After the students solve the problem, strategically pick the work that
you would like to share with the class. Start with the most concrete model and
move towards the abstract. The student work that is shared should not always be
Simi Minhas
Math Achievement Coach
CFN 204
precise and correct. At times when there are some misconceptions, it leads to
meaningful learning conversations.
 When student work is shared, ask the student (who did the work) to
first explain what they did.
 Then ask the other students to ask clarifying questions about the work.
Explain to the students that they cannot make comments about the work,
they can only ask questions. They cannot point out mistakes, but they can
ask questions. Clarifying questions should be charted in the classroom.
Clarifying Questions are listed below:
 What problem solving strategy did you use?
 Can you explain the steps you took to solve the problem?
 How does your visual connect to your number sentence?
 How did you determine what operation to use?
 Can you elaborate on your thinking?
 Why did you use this particular strategy or method?
 How can you prove that your answer is correct?
 Can you provide evidence by explaining your thinking?
 What other strategy can you use to solve the problem?
 What are some challenges that you faced when solving the
problem?
Mathematical Practice Standards:
#1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
 Understand the approaches of others to solving complex problems and
identify correspondences between different approaches.
#2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively
 Attend to the meaning of quantities and not just how to compute them.
#3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
#4 Model with mathematics
#7 Look for and make use of structure
 Can step back for an overview and shift perspective
5. Bridging student work: When student work is being shared the teacher acts as a
facilitator, bridging the work. This allows the students make connections that
there are many different ways that the work can be presented. When students are
exposed to multiple ways of solving the problem, the students become
comfortable with trying new methods.
Mathematical Practice Standards:
#8 Look for and express regularity in repeating reasoning
 Notice that calculations are repeated and look for general methods
and for shortcuts.
 Continually evaluate the reasonableness of their results
Simi Minhas
Math Achievement Coach
CFN 204
6. Revising and Reflecting: After the math talk you can give the students an
opportunity to revise their work. At this time they can also try solving the
problem another way. After the revisions, they can reflect in their notebook.