Several teaching moves have been suggested to support young children's simple addition and subtraction performance, including use of a number path, directly modeling addition and subtraction, using mathematical symbols, and modifying problem difficulty. In the present study, teacher-researchers implemented an early arithmetic activity, "Big…

Two common interest-enhancement approaches in mathematics curriculum design are illustrations and personalization of problems to students' interests. The objective of these experiments is to test a variety of illustrations and personalization approaches. In the illustrations experiment, students (n = 265) were randomly assigned to lessons with…

Engaging students in a challenging (cognitively demanding) task and launching a mathematics lesson with a task before instruction are two characteristics of a reform-oriented approach to mathematics instruction often considered together. The authors systematically contrasted teaching with challenging tasks using a task-first lesson structure with…

This study investigated the relationship between three cognitive features of mathematical instruction tasks (high cognitive demand, multiple representations, and multiple solution methods) and student learning outcomes among 1,779 students from 30 Chinese fifth-grade classrooms using a new mathematics curriculum. Measures of mathematics learning…

This article presents the authors' response to Asha K. Jitendra's Response to Xin and Zhang ("The Journal of Educational Research," 2009, Vol. 102, No. 6). The claim of "factual errors, including inappropriate quotes, misrepresentation of information, and inadequate scholarship in Xin and Zhang's text" are not justified. In this rejoinder, the…

The authors compared a conceptual model-based problem-solving (COMPS) approach with a general heuristic instructional approach for teaching multiplication-division word-problem solving to elementary students with learning problems (LP). The results indicate that only the COMPS group significantly improved, from pretests to posttests, their…

Cooperative learning has broad support as an instructional strategy to improve achievement. If the social behavior of students at risk for ADHD could be documented, cooperative groups could also provide a context for intervention. To this purpose, we observed 22 same-gender triads, with or without a member at risk for ADHD during problem-solving…

The fluency of basic arithmetical operations is a precondition for mathematical problem solving. However, the training of skills plays a minor role in contemporary mathematics instruction. The authors proposed individualization of practice as a means to improve its efficiency, so that the time spent with the training of skills is minimized. As a…

The authors explored the effects of teaching conceptual model-based problem-solving instruction on students' ability to solve problems in various situations. Participants were 3 4th-and 5th-grade students with or at risk for mathematics disabilities. The authors used an adapted multiple-probe across-participants design to assess the functional…

The authors identified factors affecting problem finding depending on degree of structure of problem situation--either ill or moderately structured. Fifth-grade students (N = 115) were randomly assigned to 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 60) accomplished the ill-structured task; Group 2 (n = 55) performed the moderately structured task. Results indicated…

An explicit strategy method developed from a composite of basal arithmetic texts was used for mathematics problem-solving instruction for a group of fourth graders. Posttest results were positive. Implications for teaching mathematics problem solving to low performing students are discussed. (Author/DF)

Examined the ability of kindergarten children to use counting procedures to solve story problems. A major factor affecting pupil ability was the use of manipulative materials which illustrate the sets and relationships. Findings indicate that pupil success hinges on problem complexity and that this method could be used for early diagnosis of pupil…

The study examined the effects of three self-instructional approaches of teaching diagnostic problem-solving. Two of the approaches attempted to stimulate student-equipment interaction via programmed and text instruction while a third approach utilized actual equipment. The equipment approach was superior to non-equipment simulation approaches.…

Results are reported from a study involving 141 elementary students which investigated the relationship between students' use of cognitive strategies during social studies critical thinking tasks and their perceptions of classroom instruction. (IAH)

Examined the differential effects of two instructional strategies (explicit schema-based and traditional-based) on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of mathematical word problem solving among elementary students at risk or with mild disabilities. Pretesting and posttesting indicated that both groups' performance increased from…