Applying an Individual Word-Problem Intervention to a Small-Group Setting: A Pilot Study's Evidence of Improved Word-Problem Performance for Students Experiencing Mathematics Difficulty. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Powell, Sarah R.; Berry, Katherine A.; Acunto, Anasazi N.; Fall, Anna-Maria; Roberts, Greg
• Is Part Of: Journal of learning disabilities. Volume 55:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 359
• Page End: 374
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: learning difficulty -- mathematics -- small group -- word problems; Learning disabilities -- Periodicals; 371.905
• DOI: 10.1177/00222194211047635
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-2194

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether positive results from a word-problem intervention implemented one-to-one contributed to similar outcomes when implemented in small groups of three to four students. Third-grade students experiencing mathematics difficulty ( N = 76) were randomly assigned to word-problem intervention ( n = 56) or business-as-usual comparison ( n = 20). Intervention occurred for 13 weeks, 3 times per week, 30 min per session. Multilevel models revealed the intervention condition significantly outperformed the BaU on a proximal word-problem outcome, corroborating results from our prior individual intervention. When comparing student performance in the individual versus small-group intervention, findings suggest students received added benefit from the individual intervention. The word-problem intervention successfully translated to a small-group setting, which holds important implications for educators working with students in supplemental, targeted, or Tier 2 mathematics intervention settings.