Many students fall below benchmarks in the area of fractions computation, particularly students with disabilities. Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) is one strategy with proven effectiveness for improving outcomes for students with disabilities, although very few studies have applied SRSD to the area of mathematics. In this study, we used SRSD Fractions to teach adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, simplifying fractions, and converting fractions to mixed numbers using the mnemonics FILMS, CUT, and EDIT. A researcher provided instruction in small groups to fifth-grade students at risk for disabilities. The results from use of a multiple-baseline-across-groups design suggest a functional relationship between SRSD Fractions and 8 fifth-grade students’ digits correct on timed fraction probes. Results from treatment fidelity, social validity, and academic engagement during the intervention are also reported. We also discuss limitations and directions for future researchers.
BerchD. B. (2016). Why learning common fractions is uncommonly difficult: Unique challenges faced by students with mathematical disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 50, 651–654. doi:10.1177/0022219416659446
2.
BottgeB. A.MaX.GassawayL.ButlerM.TolandM. D. (2014). Detecting and correcting fractions computation error patterns. Exceptional Children, 80, 237–255. doi:10.1177/001440291408000207
3.
BouckE. C.BassetteL.ShurrJ.ParkJ.KerrJ.WhorleyA. (2017). Teaching equivalent fractions to secondary students with disabilities via the virtual-representation-abstract instruction sequence. Journal of Special Education Technology, 32, 220–231. doi:10.1177/0162643417727291
4.
CaseL. P.HarrisK. R.GrahamS. (1992). Improving the mathematical problem-solving skills of students with learning disabilities: Self-regulated strategy development. Journal of Special Education, 26, 1–19. doi:10.1177/002246699202600101
5.
CasselJ.ReidR. (1996). Use of a self-regulated strategy intervention to improve word problem-solving skills of students with mild disabilities. Journal of Behavioral Education, 6, 153–172. doi:10.1007/BF02110230
6.
CohenJ. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum.
7.
Cuenca-CarlinoY.Freeman-GreenS.StephensonG. W.HauthC. (2016). Self-regulated strategy development instruction for teaching multi-step equations to middle school students struggling in math. The Journal of Special Education, 50, 75–85. doi:10.1177/0022466915622021
8.
EnnisR. P.HarrisK. R.LaneK. L.MasonL. H. (2014). Lessons learned implementing self-regulated strategy development with students with emotional and behavioral disorders in alternative educational settings. Behavioral Disorders, 40, 68–77. doi:10.17988/0198-7429-40.1.68
9.
EnnisR. P.JolivetteK. (2014). Existing research and future directions for self-regulated strategy development with students with and at-risk for E/BD. The Journal of Special Education, 48, 32–45. doi:10.1177/0022466912454682
10.
EnnisR. P.JolivetteK.BodenL. J. (2013). STOP and DARE: Self-regulated strategy development for persuasive writing with elementary students with E/BD in a residential facility. Education and Treatment of Children, 36, 81–99. doi:10.1353/etc.2013.0026
11.
EnnisR. P.JolivetteK.TerryN. P.FredrickL. D.AlbertoP. A. (2015). Classwide teacher implementation of self-regulated strategy development with students with E/BD in a residential facility. Journal of Behavioral Education, 24, 88–111. doi:10.1007/s10864-014-9207-7
12.
EnnisR. P.LosinskiM. (2019). Interventions to improve fraction skills for students with disabilities: A meta-analysis. Exceptional Children, 85, 367–386.
13.
FairbanksS.SugaiG.GuardinoD.LathropM. (2007). Response to intervention: Examining classroom behavior support in second grade. Exceptional Children, 73, 288–310. doi:10.1177/001440290707300302
14.
FoegenA.OlsonJ. R.Impecoven-LindL. (2008). Developing progress monitoring measures for secondary mathematics: An illustration in algebra. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 33, 240–249. doi:10.1177/1534508407313489
FuchsL. S.SchumacherR. F.LongJ.NamkungJ.MaloneA. S.WangA.. . . ChangasP. (2016). Effects of intervention to improve at-risk fourth graders’ understanding, calculations, and word problems with fractions. Elementary School Journal, 116, 625–651. doi:10.1086/686303
17.
GearyD. C.HoardM. K.Byrd-CravenJ.NugentL.NumteeC. (2007). Cognitive mechanisms underlying achievement deficits in children with mathematical learning disability. Child Development, 78(4), 1343–1359.
18.
GrahamS.HarrisK. R. (2003). Students with learning disabilities and the process of writing: A meta-analysis of SRSD studies. In SwansonH. L.HarrisK. R.GrahamS. (Eds.), Handbook of learning disabilities (pp. 323–344). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
19.
HarrisK.GrahamS. (1996). Making the writing process work: Strategies for composition and self-regulation (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.
20.
HarrisK. R.GrahamS.MasonL. H.FriedlanderB. (2008). Powerful writing strategies for all students. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
21.
HospM. KHospJ. L.HowellK. W. (2007). The ABCs of CBM. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
22.
HughesG.BrendefurJ.CarneyM. (2015). Reshaping teachers’ mathematical perceptions: Analysis of a professional development task. Mathematics Teacher Educator, 3, 116–129. doi:10.5951/mathteaceduc.3.2.0116
23.
HuntJ. H.EmpsonS. B. (2015). Exploratory study of informal strategies for equal sharing problems of students with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 38, 208–220. doi:10.1177/0731948714551418
24.
IzsákA.TillemaE.Tunç-PekkanZ. (2008). Teaching and learning fraction addition on number lines. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 39(1), 33–62. doi:10.2307/30034887
25.
JitendraA. K.StarJ. R.StarostaK.LehJ. M.SoodS.CaskieG.. . . MackT. R. (2009). Improving seventh grade students’ learning of ratio and proportion: The role of schema-based instruction. Contemporary Education Psychology, 34, 250–264.
26.
JohnsB. H.CrowleyE. P.GuetzloeE. (2008). Engaged time in the classroom. Focus on Exceptional Children, 41, 1–6.
27.
JosephL. M.HunterA. D. (2001). Differential application of a cue card strategy for solving fraction problems: Exploring instruction utility of the cognitive assessment system. Child Study Journal, 31, 123–136.
28.
KatzS. (2015). Enhancing self-efficacy of elementary school students to learn mathematics. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 4, 42–55. doi:10.5430/jct.v4n1p42
29.
KauchakD.EggenP. (1993). Learning and teaching. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
30.
KimS. A.WangP.MichaelsC. A. (2015). Using explicit C-R-A instruction to teach fraction word problems solving to low-performing Asian English learners. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 31, 253–278. doi:10.1080/10573569.2015.1030999
31.
LaneK. L.KalbergJ. R.MenziesH. M. (2009). Developing schoolwide programs to prevent and manage problem behaviors: A step-by-step approach. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
32.
LaneK. L.OakesW.EnnisR. P.HirschS. E. (2014). Identifying students for secondary and tertiary prevention efforts: How do we determine which students have Tier 2 and Tier 3 needs?Preventing School Failure, 58, 171–182. doi:10.1080/1045988X.2014.895573
33.
LaneK. L.OakesW. P.SwoggerE. D.SchatschneiderC.MenziesH. M.SanchezJ. (2015). Student risk screening scale for internalizing and externalizing behaviors: Preliminary cut scores to support data-informed decision making. Behavioral Disorders, 40, 159–170.
34.
LedfordJ. R.GastD. L. (2018). Single case research methodology: Applications in special education and behavioral sciences. New York, NY: Routledge.
35.
LosinskiM.Cuenca-CarlinoY.ZablockiM.TeagardenJ. (2014). Examining the efficacy of self-regulated strategy development for students with emotional or behavioral disorders: A meta-analysis. Behavioral Disorders, 40, 52–67. doi:10.17988/0198-7429-40.1.52
36.
LosinskiM. L.EnnisR. P.SandersS.WisemanN. (2019). An investigation of self-regulated strategy development to teach addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators to students with or at-risk for disabilities. Exceptional Children, 85, 291–308. doi:10.1177/0014402918813980
MazzoccoM. M.DevlinK. T. (2008). Parts and “holes”: Gaps in rational number sense among children with vs. without mathematical learning disabilities. Developmental Science, 11, 681–691. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00717.x
39.
MisquittaR. (2011). A review of the literature: Fraction instruction for struggling learners in mathematics. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 26, 109–119. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5826.2011.00330.x
National Mathematics Advisory Panel. (2008). Reports of the task groups and subcommittees. Washington, DC: Author.
42.
Renaissance Learning. (2016). STAR 360 Assessments. Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Author.
43.
SandersS.LosinskiM.EnnisR. P.WhiteW.TeagardenJ.LaneJ. (2019). A meta-analysis of self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) reading interventions to improve the reading comprehension of students with disabilities. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 35, 339–353. doi:10.1080/10573569.2018.1545616
44.
ScruggsT. E.MastropieriM. A.CastoG. (1987). The quantitative synthesis of single-subject research: Methodology and validation. Remedial and Special Education, 8, 24–33. doi:10.1177/074193258700800206
45.
ShadishW. R.HedgesL. V.PustejovskyJ. E. (2014). Analysis and meta-analysis of single case designs with a standardized mean difference statistic: A primer and applications. Journal of School Psychology, 52, 123–147. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2013.11.005
46.
ShapiroE. S. (2013). Academic skills problems workbook (4th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.
47.
ShinM.BryantD. P. (2015). Fraction interventions for students struggling to learn mathematics: A research synthesis. Remedial and Special Education, 36(6), 374–387. doi:10.1177/0741932515572910
48.
SieglerR.CarpenterT.FennellF.GearyD.LewisJ.OkamotoY.. . . WrayJ. (2010). Developing effective fractions instruction for kindergarten through 8th grade: A practice guide (NCEE 2010-4039). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. Retrieved from http://whatworks.ed.gov/publications/practiceguides
49.
SieglerR. S.DuncanG. J.Davis-KeanP. E.DuckworthK.ClaessensA.EngelM.. . . ChenM. (2012). Early predictors of high school mathematics achievement. Psychological Science, 23(7), 691–697. doi:10.1177/0956797612440101
50.
SmithJ. P. (2002). The development of students’ knowledge of fractions and ratios. In LitwillerB.BrightG. (Eds.), Making sense of fractions, ratios, and proportions: 2002 yearbook (pp. 3–17). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
51.
TerwelJ.van OersB.van DijkI.Van den EedenP. (2009). Are representations to be provided or generated in primary mathematics education? Effects on transfer. Educational Research & Evaluation, 15, 25–44. doi:10.1080/13803610802481265
52.
TestD. W.EllisM. F. (2005). The effects of LAP fractions on addition and subtraction of fractions with students with mild disabilities. Education and Treatment of Children, 28, 11–24.
53.
TianJ.SieglerR. S. (2017). Fractions learning in children with mathematics difficulties. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 50(6), 614–620.
54.
WagnerM.CametoR. (2004). The characteristics, experiences, and outcomes of youth with emotional disturbances. NLTS2 Data Brief, 3(2).
55.
WittJ. C.ElliottS. N. (1985). Acceptability of classroom intervention strategies. In KratochwillT. R. (Ed.), Advances in school psychology (Vol. 4, pp. 251–288). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
56.
ZhangD.SteckerP.HuckabeeS.MillerR. (2016). Strategic development for middle school students struggling with fractions: Assessment and intervention. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49, 515–531. doi:10.1177/0022219414562281
