Future teachers’ opinions regarding the mathematical word problems

This study examines the attitudes and opinions of 161 students, future primary school teachers, in Romania towards mathematical word problems during the 2023-2024 academic year. The investigation aimed at identifying their views on the importance, utility, and challenges of word problems. The results indicate that most students recognize the educational benefits of word problems, particularly in enhancing logical thinking and applying math to real-life scenarios. Feelings towards word problems vary: many students find them interesting and feel more confident after solving difficult problems, while most are neutral, and some need extra training to boost confidence and reduce anxiety. The study shows that many future teachers handle word problems well, but some experience difficulties. While most students have skills for solving word problems, there is notable variation in proficiency and practices. Some students lack adequate training and struggle with self-organization and attention to detail. Students support the increased educational efforts made in university courses to teach them to apply various strategies for solving word problems and recognize their importance. Overall, students are confident in their ability to solve and teach mathematical word problems, which suggests a strong commitment to improving their future teaching skills.