A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of Schema-Based Instruction on Mathematical Outcomes for Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulties

• Published in: The Elementary school journal Vol. 114; no. 2; pp. 252 - 276
• Main Authors: Jitendra, Asha K, Dupuis, Danielle N, Rodriguez, Michael C, Zaslofsky, Anne F, Slater, Susan, Cozine-Corroy, Kelly, Church, Chris
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Chicago Press 01.12.2013
• Subjects: At Risk Students; Control Groups; Elementary School Students; Grade 3; Identification; Instructional Effectiveness; Intervention; Learning Problems; Mathematics Achievement; Mathematics Tests; Problem Solving; Retention (Psychology); Schemata (Cognition); Scores; Small Group Instruction; Teaching Methods; Tutoring; Urban Schools; Word Problems (Mathematics)
• ISSN: 0013-5984
• DOI: 10.1086/673199

This study compared the effects of delivering a supplemental, small-group tutoring intervention on the mathematics outcomes of third-grade students at risk for mathematics difficulties (MD) who were randomly assigned to either a schema-based instruction (SBI) or control group. SBI emphasized the underlying mathematical structure of additive problems. All students at risk for MD identified through screening received a mathematics intervention in groups of 2-4 for 12 weeks across the school year. Results revealed that students in the SBI group outperformed students in the control group on a word problem solving (WPS) posttest ("g" = 0.46). The effect of SBI proved to be equivalent for students in both high and low at-risk subgroups. On a district-administered mathematics achievement test, SBI students scored significantly higher than control students (g = 0.34); however, there were no significant effects on the WPS retention test (8 weeks later). (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)