What underlies successful word problem solving? A path analysis in sixth grade students

• The production of visual-schematic representations determines word problem solving performance.
• Relational processing makes it possible to represent the correct relations in a visual-schematic representation.
• Both visual–spatial and linguistic–semantic processes foster word problem solving.
• Both spatial ability and reading comprehension are related to word problem solving.

Two component skills are thought to be necessary for successful word problem solving: (1) the production of visual-schematic representations and (2) the derivation of the correct relations between the solution-relevant elements from the text base. The first component skill is grounded in the visual–spatial domain, and presumed to be influenced by spatial ability, whereas the latter is seated in the linguistic–semantic domain, and presumed to be influenced by reading comprehension. These component skills as well as their underlying basic abilities are examined in 128 sixth grade students through path analysis. The results of the path analysis showed that both component skills and their underlying basic abilities explained 49% of students’ word problem solving performance. Furthermore, spatial ability and reading comprehension both had a direct and an indirect relation (via the component skills) with word problem solving performance. These results contribute to the development of instruction methods that help students using these components while solving word problems.