1 Mathematical Problem Solving: A Need for Literacy

Internationally, educators are concerned about effective methods to empower students with skills to equip them to function in a technological, global world. This paper reviews literature that explores the relationship between mathematical problem solving and literacy, through mathematical modelling and top-level structuring of text. The mathematical modelling problem solving process offers students an opportunity for learning mathematical skills through what is very much a literary process. Top-level structure is an organizational strategy where readers structure texts enabling identification and recall of a text’s main idea/s. An extensive search of recent literature reveals strong relationships between reading comprehension and mathematical word problems because text comprehension must interact with mathematical processes to create mathematical literacy. This paper will argue that mathematical modelling and top-level structuring have a strong relationship due to the literary structure of modelling tasks. Secondly, it will investigate implications of skills attainment from such tasks as an empowering tool for the future. To function effectively in today’s global society, all students need to be taught to think mathematically. Mathematical modelling encourages these thinking skills through what is very much a literacy-based process. Mathematical modelling is a problem-solving process that requires students to interpret information from a variety of narrative, expository and graphic texts that reflect authentic real-life situations. As such, mathematica