The distribution of addition and subtraction word problems in Bruneian elementary mathematics texts

Mathematics textbooks and workbooks are an integral part of teaching and learning mathematics in Brunei Darussalam. Textbooks are written to closely reflect the contents of the Brunei Primary Mathematics Curriculum. They are widely used by teachers and students both in schools and at home. The study evaluated the distribution of addition and subtraction word problems according to categories proposed by Van De Walle (1998) in Primary 1-3 texts developed by Curriculum Development Department, Ministry of Education, Brunei. A document analysis methodological approach utilizing the descriptive design was used in analysing the distribution of the type of word problem categories involving addition and subtraction operations in Primary 1, Primary 2 and Primary 3 textbooks, together with the accompanying activity books for each grade. The analysis of texts revealed that out of 11 categories of addition and subtraction word problems proposed by Van De Walle, several of the categories were either not represented at all or inadequately represented in these texts. Word problems dealing with simple addition and subtraction were over represented whereas problems dealing with higher order thinking were less frequently represented, thus inhibiting pupils’ ability to learn these operations meaningfully. The study offers suggestions on (i) creative methods for the introduction of different categories of addition and subtraction word problems over the period, (ii) implications of the study for teachers and curriculum developers and (iii) future research directions