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Abstract
Using graphical representations such as strips, bars, or diagrams can help solve word problems. This study explores how Grade 8 pupils’ use of bar models evolved after a brief instructional intervention in Kosovo, where visual representation strategies are not typically emphasised. The research focused on two questions: the types of bar models pupils create and the relationship between bar models and problem-solving success. The intervention involved 62 pupils who were initially unfamiliar with visual problem-solving strategies. After five lessons of practising the bar model method, pupils demonstrated improvements in both the frequency and quality of their bar models for complex two-step WPs. The findings revealed an association between the quality of the bar models and problem-solving success, with correct bar models leading to correct solutions. Even partially correct bar models with certain characteristics were associated with the right answers in more than 80% of cases. While some pupils quickly adopted the bar model method, others would require more tailored instruction to fully benefit from visual strategies. The study’s significance lies in demonstrating that a brief teaching intervention can be effective in a cultural context where visual representation and problem-solving skills are not typically emphasised in the classroom. Moreover, it provides more insight into the characteristics of bar models drawn by pupils when solving word problems. Future research should explore the long-term effects of bar models and how incomplete representations facilitate understanding.
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Article Type: Research Article
EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 22, Issue 5, May 2026, Article No: em2822
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18341
Publication date: 01 May 2026
Online publication date: 10 Apr 2026
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Article Downloads: 8
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