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/