This purpose of this quasi-experimental, ex-post facto study was to examine the effect of SpringMath as a classwide intervention for students in grades kindergarten through second grade within one elementary school. In order to research the effects of SpringMath on the whole-number computational fluency of kindergarten through second grade…

This dissertation conducted two studies that examined two methods of instructional planning to effectively match students to a whole number computation intervention that would best meet their needs. Study 1 was a systematic synthesis of all studies that used brief experimental analysis (BEA) to determine an effective mathematics intervention for…

The problem addressed in this study was students who have not been able to demonstrate proficiency in performing mathematical computation, algebraic and geometrical reasoning, number sense proficiency and mathematical processing while in grades 3 through 8 are not prepared to successfully complete the high school high stakes Algebra 1 ECA…

Too many students are entering post-secondary education lacking foundational mathematics skills that are critical to performance on placement examinations. As a result, students are forced to take remedial courses that are often non-credit bearing and hinder their progress toward graduation. Research suggests that a lack of number sense may…

Place-value is an essential concept that is foundational for understanding our number system and for developing procedures for multidigit operations, but there has been limited research into the place-value understanding of students with learning disabilities. This research is a two-part mixed-methods study that links basic research to…

How do children use physical and virtual tools to develop new numerical knowledge? While concrete instructional materials may support the delivery of novel information to learners, they may also over-simplify the task, unintentionally reducing learners' performance in recall and transfer tasks. This reduction in testing performance may be…

Understanding the linear relationship of numbers is essential for doing practical and abstract mathematics throughout education and everyday life. There is evidence that number line activities increase learners' number sense, improving the linearity of mental number line representations (Siegler & Ramani, 2009). Mental representations of…

Manipulatives have the potential to be powerful tools in helping children improve their number sense, develop advanced mathematical strategies, and build an understanding of the base ten number system. Physical manipulatives used in classrooms, however, are often not designed to promote efficient strategy use, such as counting on, and typically do…

The purpose of this research has been to generate learning environments that surrounded second and third grade students with bi-directional counting experiences, leading them to discover and come to an understanding of opposite numbers. While engaged in games and bi-directional activities, these young students eagerly counted, by jumping frogs…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum Focal Points (2006) suggested heavy emphasis on instruction in whole numbers for young elementary students. Any intervention curriculum for students who are at-risk for mathematic difficulties should not be oversimplified. Number sense was defined by Berch (1998) as a developing…

Early math skills are the strongest predictors of later math achievement in school. This two-wave study addressed three research questions about the role of families in fostering these skills in preschool-aged children. First, how do families talk about math at home? Second, how do these conversations vary across families with different…

Calculation fluency weaknesses are a key characteristic of children with mathematics difficulties. The major aim of this dissertation was to uncover early predictors of calculation fluency weaknesses in second graders. Children's performance on number sense tasks in kindergarten along with general cognitive abilities, early literacy skills, and…

In this study, the author examined the relationship of probability misconceptions to algebra, geometry, and rational number misconceptions and investigated the potential of probability instruction as an intervention to address misconceptions in all 4 content areas. Through a review of literature, 5 fundamental concepts were identified that, if…