The Effect of Self-Explanation on Solving Mathematical Word Problems

The purpose of the study was to examine how a metacognitive strategy known as self-explanation influences word problem solving in elementary school children. Participants were 73 sixth-graders.They were assigned to one of three groups, the self-explanation group, the self-learning group, or the control group. Students in each group took two kinds of tests. The results showed that students in the self-explanation group and students in the self-learning group outperformed students in control groups on a transfer test. In addition, high explainers who generated more self-explanations relating to deep understanding of ratio word problems outperformed low explainers on ratio word problem andtransfer tests. The self-explanation effect is discussed