Teaching Problem and Solution: What the Data Reveals
When analyzing student performance, data often reveals not only what our students know but also where they require additional guidance. In this case, the focus was on reading comprehension skills—specifically, identifying keywords/signal words and connecting problems to solutions in text.
Strengths: Spotting Signal Words
The data showed that the class performed well when it came to identifying keywords and signal phrases in multiple-choice questions. On the pre-assessment, 75% of students (15 out of 20) were proficient in this skill. That strong foundation carried forward:
85% proficiency on the formative assessment.
90% proficiency on the summative assessment.
This steady growth demonstrates that students are becoming increasingly confident in recognizing textual cues that guide comprehension.
Struggles: Problem and Solution Skills
The biggest challenge for students was identifying problems and solutions, particularly in constructed-response and fill-in-the-blank formats.
Constructed responses: Only 35% proficiency.
Fill-in-the-blank: Just 25% proficiency.
Solutions on formative: 55% proficiency.
Solutions on summative: 40% proficiency.
This indicates that while students could often identify a problem, they struggled to articulate how it was resolved, particularly in writing.
Possible Causes
Students may not have had enough structured practice linking problems to solutions during lessons.
Some students—especially English Learners (EL) and Students with Disabilities (SD)—may need scaffolding, such as visuals or sentence starters, to help them make the connection.
Instructional Adjustments
To better support students, I recommend adjusting the anticipatory set. For example:
Model problem identification with a think-aloud while highlighting key textual clues.
Provide sentence starters such as:
“The problem is ____ because ____.”
“The solution was ____ because ____.”
Have students work in pairs with a short passage to practice before moving on independently.
This structured approach introduces the skill step-by-step, making it more accessible for all learners.
Student Growth Stories
The data also highlighted how individual students progressed:
Student 4 (SD): Moved from non-proficient on the pre-assessment to proficient on the formative. Their growth shows the value of strategies like underlining details.
Student 2 (EL): Improved from 50% on the pre-assessment to 80% on the summative assessment, showing strong overall growth.
Student 8 (EL): Continued to struggle with identifying solutions, showing slight improvement.
Student 20: Remained at 20% overall, highlighting a need for intensive, targeted intervention.
Feedback to Students
Feedback was tailored to both the class and individuals:
Class Feedback:
“You’re doing great identifying keywords and signal phrases—this skill is improving! Next, let’s focus on identifying solutions. Remember to ask, ‘How was the problem solved?’ and use frames like, ‘The solution was ____ because ____.’”
Student 4 (SD):
“Great job improving your problem identification! Keep using the strategy of underlining details to find solutions.”
Student 2 (EL):
“You’ve done an amazing job improving your understanding of problems and solutions! Keep practicing, and you’ll continue to grow.”
Student 8 (EL):
“This is still challenging, but you’re getting closer. Let’s practice together using sentence starters and looking for solution clues.”
Student 20:
“Let’s go back and review some examples together. We’ll break the problem and solution into smaller parts and use sentence starters to help organize your thoughts. You can do this!”
Next Steps for Instruction
To close the gap in problem/solution comprehension, two strategies will be added:
Guided Practice in Small Groups
Students will work together to identify problems and solutions in a short passage, completing a graphic organizer and sharing with the class.
Rationale: Collaborative problem-solving allows for peer support and targeted teacher guidance.
Differentiated Instruction
Provide sentence frames, visuals, and teacher modeling for struggling learners, especially EL and SD students.
Rationale: Scaffolding ensures every student has access to tools for success.
Final Reflection
Overall, the class made significant growth. On the pre-assessment, only 20% of students reached proficiency across skills. According to the summative assessment, 80% of students were proficient. While problem/solution remains a challenge, especially in written responses, the growth in identifying keywords is encouraging. With continued scaffolding, modeling, and guided practice, students can build stronger connections between problems and solutions.
Sources
Edutopia. (2015). Five keys to comprehensive assessment [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/video/five-keys-comprehensive-assessment
Guskey, T. R. (2003). How classroom assessments improve learning. Retrieved from http://tguskey.com/wp-content/uploads/Assessment-2-How-Classroom-Assessments-Improve-Learning.pdf