The Effects of Adjusting Readability on the Difficulty of Mathematics Story Problems

Abstract

A 15-item story problem test was written at three different readability levels (below Grade 4, Grade 4 to Grade 6, above Grade 6) by two different methods (vocabulary control and sentence control). The six forms of the test were administered to over 1000 children in Grades 3 to 6. There was no effect of readability level on problem difficulty—not even the hint of an effect.