CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. — When Natalia Molina began teaching her second grade students word problems earlier this school year, every lesson ... Many teachers in the youngest grades hand out worksheets ...

A student works a problem in a second grade math class at Place Bridge Academy, May 20, 2025, in Denver. Early experiences with math can shape whether a student decides they're a "math person" or not.

Teach your children 4th grade math skills like fractions, multiplication and division. In fourth grade, students learn to solve multi-step word problems and deepen their understanding of fractions.

A student works a problem in a second grade math class at Place Bridge Academy, May 20, 2025, in Denver. Early experiences with math can shape whether a student decides they're a "math person" or not.

One approach to early elementary word problems that is taking off in some schools, including Segue Institute, has its origins in a special education intervention for struggling math students.