This study investigates differences in mathematics word-problem solving performance among 5th and 6th grade mathematics underachievers with and without cram schooling, and the effect of their elementary school teachers’ and cram school teachers’ teaching approaches on word-problem solving performance. The word-problem test is comprised of three parts, including problems requiring low, average, and high level of reading comprehension. Participants were given word-problem tests appropriate to their grade level. Students’ mathematics teachers in cram schools and elementary schools were given a questionnaire on their teaching approaches. First, there were no significant differences in math word-problem solving performance and learning retention between 5th grade mathematics underachievers with and without cram schooling. However, word-problem solving performance and learning retention of the 6th grade underachievers with cram schooling were significantly better than those without. Regression analysis of math word-problem performance in 5th grade underachievers revealed that the more cram school teachers used a constructivist teaching approach, the higher their scores were on the total, average, and high level math word-problem tests. In contrast, the more cram school teachers used the direct teaching approach, the lower scores math underachievers got on the average level word-problem tests. The 6th grade math underachievers’ performance can be explained by their intelligence. Moreover, the direct teaching approach was demonstrated to have a negative effect on underachievers’ performance solving low level word-problems. In addition, word-problem solving performance was not related to the numb er of hours per week they learned mathematics in cram schools.
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The Impact of Cram Schooling and Teaching Approaches on Mathematics Underachievers’ Word-Problem Solving Performance
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