Towards Effective Learning: Understanding the Connections of Vocabulary, Reasoning, and Mathematical Word Problem-Solving in Islamic Elementary Education

Word problems in mathematics require reasoning skills and the ability to visualize the relationship between mathematics and language. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between vocabulary mastery, reasoning ability, and the ability to solve mathematical word problems. The research focused on students at the Islamic elementary school level who are just starting to learn mathematical problem-solving. The sample consisted of 100 students from two public Islamic elementary schools and five private Islamic elementary schools. Data were collected through tests for each variable, and the research hypothesis was tested using simple correlation and multiple correlations with Minitab Pearson Correlation software. This study found that the three variables were significantly correlated. This suggests that vocabulary mastery and reasoning ability are crucial in optimizing the ability to solve story-counting problems. To enhance these variables, teachers are encouraged to develop innovative and creative teaching methods that focus on developing and practicing math vocabulary from an early age. By improving students' vocabulary mastery and reasoning ability, teachers can enhance their problem-solving performance and ultimately improve their mathematics skills.