West Virginia Support for Personalized Learning Implementation of Elementary Mathematics within WVSPL Framework April 2012 Eight Suggestions for Assisting Students Performing Below Their Potential in Mathematics This information is summarized from the report: Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middles Schools (IES Practice Guide – What Works Clearinghouse); Russell Gersten, Sybilla Beckmann, Benjamin Clarke, Anne Foegen, Laurel Marsh, Jon R. Star, Bradley Witzel; 2009. Suggestion 1: Screen all students to identify those at risk for potential math difficulties and provide interventions to students who are at-risk. Have a team evaluate potential screening measures – select measures that are efficient and reliable and that demonstrate predictive validity. Screening occurs in the beginning for all students and at the middle and end of the year for some students. Select screening measures based on the content they cover, with an emphasis on critical instructional objectives for each grade. In grades 3-8, use screening data in combination with state testing results. Use the same screening tool across a district to enable analysis of results across schools. Suggestion 2: Instructional materials for students receiving interventions should focus intensely on in-depth treatment of whole numbers in K-5, and on rational numbers in 4-8. For K-5 TARGETED and INTENSIVE instruction should focus almost exclusively on properties of whole numbers and operations. Older students struggling with whole numbers and operations would also benefit from in-depth coverage of these topics (not to exclude problem-solving). For TARGETED and INTENSIVE in grades 4-8, instruction should focus in-depth coverage of rational numbers as well as advanced topics in whole number arithmetic (such as long division). Suggestion 3: Instruction during intervention should be explicit and systematic (i.e., providing models of proficient problem-solving, verbalization of thought processes, guided practice, corrective feedback, and frequent cumulative review). Ensure that instructional materials are systematic and explicit. They should include a number of clear models of easy and difficult problems, accompanied by teacher thinkalouds. Provide students with opportunities to solve problems in a group to communicate problemsolving strategies. Ensure that instructional materials include cumulative review in each session. Suggestion 4: Interventions should include instruction on solving word problems that is based on common underlying structures. Teach students about the structure of various problem types, how to categorize problems based on structure and how to determine appropriate solutions for each problem type (e.g., Schema-based problem solving - Jitendra, Hot Math Pirate Math, Go Solve It.) Teach students to recognize the common underlying structure between familiar and unfamiliar problems and to transfer known solution methods from familiar to unfamiliar problems. Suggestion 5: Intervention materials should include opportunities for students to work with visual representations of math ideas/ Teachers should be proficient before using them. Use visual representations such as number lines, arrays and strip diagrams. If visuals are not sufficient for developing accurate abstract thought and answers, use concrete manipulatives first. Although this can also be done with students in upper elementary and middle school grades, use of manipulatives with older students should be expeditious because the goal is to move toward understanding of, and facility with, visual representations and finally to the abstract. Suggestion 6: Interventions at all grade levels should devote about 10 minutes in each session to building fluent retrieval of basic facts. Provide about 10 minutes per session of instruction to build quick retrieval of basic arithmetic facts. Consider using technology and other materials for extensive practice (e.g., Mastering Math Facts, Fast math, Math Facts in a Flash). For K-2, explicitly teach strategies for efficient counting to improve the retrieval of math facts. Teach students in grades 2-8 how to use their knowledge of properties, such as commutative, associative and distributive to derive facts mentally. Suggestion 7: Monitor progress of students receiving TARGETED and INTENSIVE. Monitor the progress of TARGETED students every three weeks. Monitor INTENSIVE students at least once a week using grade-appropriate, general outcome measures. Use progress monitoring data to regroup students when necessary. Suggestion 8: Include motivational strategies in TARGETED and INTENSIVE. Allow students to chart their progress and to set goals for improvement. Reinforce or provide descriptive feedback to students for their effort and for attending to and being engaged in the lesson. For additional information on WVSPL and Mathematics, please visit the following websites: Support for Personalized Learning http://wvde.state.wv.us/spl/ Teach 21 http://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/ The Center on Instruction www.centeroninstruction.org The National Center on RTI www.rti4success.org The RTI Action Network www.rtinetwork.org The What Works Clearinghouse http://IES.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/