Teaching Mathematical Problem Solving in Hungary for Students Who Have Average Ability in Mathematics

Abstract

Fostering talented students from Grade 1 to Grade 12 has always dominated Hungarian mathematics education. Another main characteristic of our education is whole class teaching, but the results of Hungarian students on international mathematics tests show that teaching mathematics to everybody should hugely differ from teaching mathematics to the talented. How can we change this one-sided dominance in a traditional mathematics teaching culture? In our study, we analyse the role of memory systems, which are decisive factors of problem solving. Here, we find a lot of differences between the talented and the average. Following this, we present a case study concerning teaching mathematical problem solving for average students: using guiding questions and hints in problem solving and applying cooperative techniques in teaching problem solving. The research was implemented by a secondary school mathematics teacher.