Children’s drawings for word problems: Design of a theory and an analysis tool

Representations are essential for mathematical understanding. In particular, graphic representations are taught as tools for solving word problems. However, not only do children often have difficulties in using them, but there is also a complete absence of research into whether or not children's own graphic productions actually represent the key mathematical elements of word problems. My project, therefore, focuses on this gap by developing a theoretical model and an analysis tool to categorise and map the drawings. This is based on primary school children's drawings, which have been identified as graphic representations of word problems.