This implementation project focused on supporting teachers who provide mathematics instruction and/or intervention to students with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) and mathematics difficulties (MD). The research team worked with three schools, over three years. Instructional delivery differed across schools, primarily in setting and amount…

This systematic review and meta-analysis appraised and synthesized mathematics interventions research addressing rational number concepts for students with mathematics difficulties (MD) in Grades 3-9. Included studies (n = 28) meet the What Works Clearinghouse Group Design standards (Version 4.0) for study quality. Across all studies, we found…

A solid foundation in fractions is a key predictor of success in algebra and more advanced mathematics, which in turn is predictive of entry into higher education and many high-paying vocations. Yet, when fractions are introduced into the mathematics curriculum in upper elementary grades (grades 4 and 5), many students demonstrate minimal growth…

Recent intervention research has demonstrated success in raising the achievement level of students who are struggling with mathematics. This practice guide, developed by the What Works Clearinghouse™ (WWC) in conjunction with an expert panel, distills this contemporary mathematics intervention research into six easily comprehensible and practical…

In this commentary, the author reflects on four studies that have greatly expanded the knowledge base on effective interventions in mathematics, and he provides four rigorous experimental studies of approaches for students likely to experience difficulties learning mathematics over a large grade-level span (pre-K to 4th grade). All of the…

A formative pilot study of a fractions intervention was conducted to address the intervention's potential for improving fifth-grade struggling students' knowledge of fractions, and to identify any logistical or instructional design issues, before scaling up for a randomized control trial. In the first section, we provide details of the formative…

This report examines which instructional components (e.g., visual representations, use of number lines, teaching and using of mathematical language) and study features (e.g., group size, interventionist training) may have contributed to the effectiveness of intervention. In choosing to focus on instructional components and study features, the…

Replication studies are extremely rare in education. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) is a scale-up replication of Fuchs et al., which in a sample of 139 found a statistically significant positive impact for Number Rockets, a small-group intervention for at-risk first graders that focused on building understanding of number operations. The…

Contemporary state math standards emphasize that students must demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical ideas underlying the computations that have typically been the core of the elementary school math curriculum. The standards have put an increased emphasis on the study of fractions in upper elementary grades, which are the years during…

This study investigated whether individual differences in working memory (WM) moderate effects of 2 variations of intervention designed to improve at-risk 4th graders' fraction knowledge. We also examined the effects of each intervention condition against a business-as-usual control group and assessed whether children's measurement interpretation…

This study investigated whether individual differences in working memory (WM) moderate effects of 2 variations of intervention designed to improve at-risk 4th graders' fraction knowledge. We also examined the effects of each intervention condition against a business-as-usual control group and assessed whether children's measurement interpretation…

The main purposes of this study were to test the effects of teaching at-risk 4th graders to provide explanations for their mathematics work and examine whether those effects occur by compensating for limitations in cognitive processes. We randomly assigned 212 children to 3 conditions: a control group and 2 variants of a multicomponent fraction…

The main purposes of this study were to test the effects of teaching at-risk 4th graders to provide explanations for their mathematics work and examine whether those effects occur by compensating for limitations in cognitive processes. We randomly assigned 212 children to 3 conditions: a control group and 2 variants of a multi-component fraction…

The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of an intervention designed to improve at-risk 4th graders' understanding of fractions and to examine the processes by which effects occurred. The intervention focused more on the measurement interpretation of fractions; the control condition focused more on the part-whole interpretation…

This study used a systematic process modeled after the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) study review process to answer the question: What does the causal research say are effective math professional development interventions for K-12 teachers aimed at improving student achievement? The study identified and screened 910 research studies in a…