Abstract
The solution of word problems requires cognitive and affective knowledge of problem solvers. However, many college' students faced difficulties in solving word problems. The descriptive study using a qualitative approach aims to explore difficulties faced by pre-service primary teachers when solving word problems. The participants of this study were 40 pre-service elementary teachers who were taking realistic mathematics learning courses in the academic year 2019/2020. Data were collected through word problem tasks and interviews. Data were analyzed using the Newman procedure. The results showed that most pre-service elementary teacher had difficulty in solving word problems. Difficulties faced by the pre-service elementary teacher who does not get the right solution are caused by (1) lack of understanding of the problems given; (2) lack of knowledge of strategy's inability to translate problems into mathematical forms; (3) inability to use mathematics correctly; and (4) inability to use correct mathematics. The implication of this study is teacher educators should provide scaffolding and feedback during learning in class.
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