THE FOUNDATION OF THE ROMANY STUDENTS’ ALGEBRA KNOWLEDGE THROUGH TEXT-BASED PROBLEMS

Oct 15, 2026

Research introduces an efficient approach to develop abstract algebraic thinking for Romany students from a socially underprivileged background using text-based problems. Conducted at School no. 1 of Diosig in Romania, the study addresses the need to build learning around text-based problem solving rather than starting from abstract theoretical operations. Students first revise basic operations via texts, then learn variables through games and calculate substitute values, finally deducing variable reduction through an inductive sequence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Theoretical background

Definition and role of text-based problems

Problem-solving steps and methods

Psychological foundations for learning mathematics

From arithmetical to algebraic thinking

THE FOUNDATION OF THE ROMANY STUDENTS’ALGEBRA KNOWLEDGE THROUGH TEXT-BASED PROBLEMS Ileana Máté Abstract: The purpose of my research is to find a method by which the acquisition of the abstract algebraical thinking can be made efficient in the case of Romany students coming from a socially underprivileged background, through text-based problems. I teach in School no. 1 of Diosig, in Romania, where the rate of Romany minority is of 23%, while more than a half of the children studying in Hungarian at school come from Romany families. The research was conducted in this school. The essence of this method is that I do not teach the algebraic operations, the algebraic method of solving text-based problems, which is to be acquired in the seventh grade, the way the Romanian educational system requires, that is to start from theoretical bases, but I build every item to be learnt around text-based problems. We revised the basic operations by text-based problems, then we introduced the notion of variable through games similarly formulated by texts and calculated the substitute values. They deduced and learnt the reduction of the variables through text-based problems, as well, by an inductive sequence. Key words: text-based problems, algebra, mathematics didactics. MSC2010: 97H20, 97D40, 97D70 1. Introduction Seeing the learning difficulties of the 7th-grade Romany students from Diosig, I tried to utilise a method that I partly used in mixed Hungarian-Romany classes in the previous school years, and it proved to be efficient. Because the Romany students lack any methods of solving text-based problems, they also acquired some arithmetical solving methods in the course of the experimental teaching. When they were able to solve text-based problems in an arithmetical way, and they were able to work correctly with variable, too, only then followed the solving of equations algebraically through textbased problems. However this was not enforced on the students, but we used such problems whose solving produce in them the need for a shorter writing mode, an easier deduction, which cause the algebraic solving method. Till the very last, I had in mind the teachings of Lázár Péter, a teacher of Romany birth, according to which we need to get to know each Romany child individually, and to build the school around them, because their education can be an efficient process only in this way. (Bordács-Lázár, 2002) 2. Theoretical background I found the definition of the text-based problems the most getting to the point in Csíkos Csaba’s formulation, according to which,” we can consider a mathematical text-based problem every such problem that is formulated in words and for whose solving the use of some area of Mathematics is indispensable.”(Csíkos, 2003) With the help of text-based problems, we can enhance the students’ text comprehension, we can train them for a problem-solving thinking, and we can also develop their capacities of judgement, retention, finding the main points, and self-verifying. In order that the teaching of text-based problems should be diversified, that is to say for the teaching process to work efficiently, we must know the possibilities of formulating the problems. A systematization on several viewpoints is helpful in this case, (Herendiné, 2013), according to which the problems can be arranged by their formation, their topic, their texting, the number of the unknowns, the number of the solutions, or the relevance of the data. According to Pólya (1985), the solving of text-based problems is done in four steps, where we can step there and back between the steps for the sake of a successful problem solving. The steps of the problem solving are: the comprehension of the problem, the making of a plan, the carrying out of the plan, verifying-feedback. The text-based problems can be solved with arithmetical and algebraic methods, as well. According to Faragó (1960), in the course of the ari

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the research?

The research aims to find a method that makes acquiring abstract algebraic thinking efficient for Romany students using text-based problems.

How was the teaching method structured in the study?

Learners revisited basic operations through text-based problems, then introduced variables through text-like games and substitute value calculations, followed by learning how variables reduce through an inductive sequence.

Which problem-solving steps does the study reference?

The theoretical background cites Polya’s four-step process: comprehension, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and verifying-feedback.

Oct 15, 2026

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