Alternative paths to improved word-problem performance: An advantage for embedding prealgebraic reasoning instruction within word-problem intervention
| Autor: | Anna-Maria Fall, Katherine A. Berry, Lynn S. Fuchs, Sarah R. Powell, Marcia A. Barnes, Greg Roberts |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Educational Psychology. 113:898-910 |
| ISSN: | 1939-2176 0022-0663 |
| Popis: | The purpose of this study was to explore the paths by which word-problem intervention, with versus without embedded prealgebraic reasoning instruction, improved word-problem performance. Students with mathematics difficulty (MD; n = 304) were randomly assigned to a business-as-usual condition or 1 of 2 variants of word-problem intervention. The prealgebraic reasoning component targeted relational understanding of the equal sign as well as standard and nonstandard equation solving. Intervention occurred for 16 weeks, 3 times per week, 30 min per session. Sequential mediation models revealed main effects, in which each intervention condition significantly and substantially outperformed the business-as-usual condition, corroborating prior research on the efficacy of schema word-problem intervention. Yet despite comparable effects on word-problem outcomes between the two word-problem conditions, the process by which effects accrued differed: An indirect path via equal-sign understanding and then equation solving was significant only for the word-problem intervention condition with embedded prealgebraic reasoning instruction. Additionally, the effect of this condition on equal-sign reasoning was strong. Given the link between equal-sign reasoning for success with algebra and the importance of algebra for success with advanced mathematics, results suggest an advantage for embedding prealgebraic reasoning instruction within word-problem intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|