The Effect of Manipulation on Reducing the Errors of Fourth-Grade Elementary Students while Solving Fraction Word Problems

The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of manipulation on reducing the errors of fourth-grade students while solving fraction word problems based on Newman error analysis (NEA) model. Participants in this study included 48 female students from two elementary schools; regarding which, two fourth grade classes were selected by cluster sampling. In this study, it was attempted to evaluate the effect of teaching fraction and word problems through manipulation on reducing the errors of students and to classify their errors (reading, comprehension, transformation, processing skills, and encoding) according to the NEA structured model. Therefore, the study design was quasi-experimental by pretest and posttest with a control group. Data collection tools were standardized and researcher-made tests together with Newman’s qualitative interview. The content validity of questions was obtained by the CVR method and the reliability was validated by the Kuder-Richardson formula. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that teaching mathematical word problem solving through manipulation led to significant differences in reducing the errors of students.