Dr. Yu-Chung Chang and her colleagues are concerned about Pasadena City College's Intermediate Algebra students' anxiety over math word problems. Approximately 50% fail to pass Intermediate Algebra, a gate-keeper class required for entrance to all transfer-level math courses as well as many in other disciplines Success in Intermediate Algebra relies heavily on reading English and math texts, yet many students have poor reading comprehension skills Few math teachers have a comprehensive approach to help their students bridge the literacy-mathematics gap

______________________________ Yu-Chung's Hypothesis Students' anxiety over word problems will decrease and their comprehension of algebra word problems will increase if reading and writing strategies, combined with collaborative activities, are incorporated weekly into math instruction. ______________________________

______________________________ Yu-Chung's Results A clear approach to strengthening reading and writing skills More confident students who take greater responsibility for their learning More discussion about teaching and learning among faculty An increase in retention and success rates ______________________________

play Christian, Yu-Chung, Alexis, and Jacob talk about the benefits of using the WRAMPS method.  Quicktime 7 required to view video. Click here to download a plug-in.

What you'll find on this site... 1. Lost in Translation, or, the Problem with Word Problems: Yu-Chung's inquiry into the literacy issues and resulting anxiety algebra students face 2. The WRAMPS Method: Writing and Reading Activities for Math Problem Solving 3. No Longer Lost: Students start comprehending and translating word problems 4. Found in Translation: Students gain new appreciation for math 5. Finding Your Way: A resource page for instructors For more information, please contact Dr. Yu-Chung Chang at yxchang@pasadena.edu