Students dislike for solving word problems is not new for mathematics teachers. Most word problems have no cultural significance or relate to the student. A student dislike for solving word problems could be contributed to the lack of reference to the lived experience of the student (i.e., social class, race, ethnicity, mother language, gender, sexual orientation, and any other demographic characteristics). А study was designed to explore a group of students, on the island of Kuda Hudaa in the Republic of the Maldives, ability to write contextual word problems. Contextual word problems are word problems that relate to a student population in a classroom. The results indicate that all students were able to create contextual word problems for both multiplication and division. Most student written multiplication and division word problems met Marks (1994) three considerations when developing word problems. The intent is to encourage students to write contextual word problems that make learning mathematics more meaningful for students.

• Amit, M. & Klass-Tsirulnikov, B. (2005). Paving a way to algebraic word problems using a nonalgebra route. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 10, 271 – 276.
• Basurto, I. (1999). Conditions of reading comprehension which facilitate word problems for second language learners. Reading Improvement, 36(3), 143 – 148.
• Brown, N. M. (1993). Writing mathematics. Arithmetic Teacher, 41(1), 20 – 21.
• Burton, M. B. (1991). Grammatical translation-inhibitors in two classic word problem sentences. For the Learning of Mathematics, 11(1), 43 – 46.
• D'Ambrosio, U. (1985). Ethnomathematics and its place in the history and pedagogy of mathematics. For the Learning of Mathematics, 5, 44-8.
• D’Ambrosio, U. (2001). What is Ethnomathematics and how can it help children in schools? Teaching Children Mathematics, 7(6), 308-310.
• D’Ambrosio, U. (2009). The program Ethnomathematics: A theoretical basis of the dynamics of intra cultural encounters. Journal of Mathematics and Culture. 1, (1), 1 – 7.
• Darby, L. (2008). Marking mathematics and science relevant through story. Australian Mathematics Teacher, 64(1), 6 – 11.
• DiPillo, M. L., Sovich, R., & Moss, B. (1997). Exploring middle graders' mathematical thinking through journals. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 2 (5), 308 – 314.
• Edie, R. (2009). Making sense of word problems (Master’s Thesis). University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/mathmidactionresearch/42/
• Foley, T. E., Parmar,  R. S., & Cawley, J. F. (2004). Explanding the agenda in mathematics problem solving for students with mild disabilities: alternative representations. Learning Disabilities, 13(1), 7 – 16.
• François, K. (2009). The role of Ethnomathematics within mathematics education.  Proceedings of the Sixth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME). January 28 – February 1, 2009, Lyon France.  <www.inrp.fr/editions/cerme6>
• Heinze, K. (2005). The language of math. Presentation handouts from TESOL conference. Retrieved from http://www.rtmsd.org/cms/lib/PA01000204/Centricity/Domain/594/Language_of_Math.doc. 
• Hoz, R. & Harel, G. (1990). Higher order knowledge involved in the solution of algebra speed word problems. Journal of Structural Learning, 10(4), 305 – 328.
• Langeness, J. (2011). Methods to improve student ability in solving math word problems (Master’s Thesis). Hamline University. Retrieved from: http://www.hamline.edu/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147514388.
• LeGere, A. (1991). Collaboration and writing in the mathematics classroom. Mathematics Teacher. 84(3), 166 – 171.
• Marks, D. (1994). A guide to more sensible word problems. The Mathematics Teacher, 87(8), 610 – 611.
• Mangan, C. (1989). Choice of operation in multiplication and division word problems: A developmental study. Journal of Structural Learning, 10, 73 – 77.
• Martinez, J. G. R. (2001). Thinking and writing mathematically: Achilles and the tortoise as an algebraic word problem. Mathematics Teacher, 94(4), 248 – 252.
• Miller, L. D. (1991). Constructing pedagogical content knowledge from students’ writing in secondary mathematics. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 3(1), 30 – 44.   
• Miller, L. D. (1992). Teacher benefits from using impromptu writing prompts in algebra classes. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 23(4), 329 – 340.   
• Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd Ed.). London: Sage Publications.
• Powell, A.B., & Lopez, J.A. (1989). Writing as a vehicle to learn mathematics: A case study. In P. Connolly & T. Vilardi (Eds.), Writing to learn mathematics and science (pp. 157-177). New York: Teachers College Press.
• Presmeg, N. (1998). Ethnomathematics in teacher education. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 1, 317 – 339.
• Puchalska, E. & Semadeni, Z. (1987). Children’s reactions to verbal arithmetical problems with missing, surplus or contradictory data. For the Learning of Mathematics, 7(3), 9 – 16.
• Rubenstein, R. N. & Thoompson, D. R. (2002). Understanding and supporting children’s mathematical vocabulary development. Teaching Children Mathematics, 9(2), 107 – 112.
• Rudnitsky, A., Etheredge, S., Freeman, S. J. M., and Gilbert, T. G. (1995). Learning to solve addition and subtraction word problems througha structure-plus-writing approach. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 26(5), 467 – 486.
• Stix, A. (1994). Pic-jour math: Pictorial journal writing in mathematics. Arithmetic Teacher, 41(5), 264 – 269.
• Wedege, T. (2010). Ethnomathematics and mathematical literacy: People knowing mathematics in society. C. Bergsten, E. Jablonka, and T. Wedege (eds). Mathematics and mathe-matics education: Cultural and social dimensions. 31 – 46.
• Winograd, K., & Higgins, K. (1994). Reading, writing and talking mathematics: One interdisciplinary possibility. The Reading Teacher, 48, 310 – 319.
• Xin, Y. P. (2007). Word problem solving tasks in textbooks and their relation to student performance. The Journal of Educational Research, 100(6), 347 – 359.

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.