IntroductionOne of the greatest challenges teachers currently face with students who are struggling academically is how to provide access to the general education curriculum. Show
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 support the assertion that all children, including those with disabilities, should have access to the same curriculum. Furthermore, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000) supports providing all youth equal access to mathematical concepts. However, students with disabilities in general, and those with learning disabilities (LD) at the middle school level, often have difficulty meeting academic content standards and passing state assessments (Thurlow, Albus, Spicuzza, & Thompson, 1998; Thurlow, Moen, & Wiley, 2005). Specifically, students with LD often have difficulties with:
Many of these students struggle with how to:
One effective approach to assisting middle school youth with LD in accessing challenging mathematical concepts is to provide strategy instruction (SI). This brief defines strategy instruction, identifies key features of effective strategies, and identifies key components necessary for instructing youth in the use of a strategy. In addition, we provide a practical example for the use of a math instructional strategy that can be applied to a variety of concepts and settings, and provide some key considerations when using strategy instruction in mathematics classes. What is a strategy and what are the key features?A strategy refers to, “a plan that not only specifies the sequence of needed actions but also consists of critical guidelines and rules related to making effective decisions during a problem solving process” (Ellis & Lenz, 1996, p.24). Some features that make strategies effective for students with LD are:
Some strategies combine several of these features. STAR is an example of an empirically validated (Maccini & Hughes, 2000; Maccini & Ruhl, 2000) first-letter mnemonic that can help students recall the sequential steps from familiar words used to help solve word problems involving integer numbers. The steps for STAR include:
Figure 1: Instructional steps for a classroom lesson1. Provide an Advance Organizer The teacher provides an advance organizer of the strategy to help:
2 . Provide Teacher Modeling of the Strategy Steps The teacher first thinks aloud while modeling the use of the strategy with the target problems. Then the teacher checks off the steps and writes down the responses on an overhead version of the structured worksheet, while the students write their responses on individual structured worksheets. Next, the teacher models one or two more problems while gradually fading his or her assistance and prompts and involving the students via questions (e.g., “What do I do first?”) and written responses (i.e., having students write down the problems and answers on their structured worksheet).
3. Provide Guided Practice The teacher provides many opportunities for the students to practice solving a variety of problems using their structured worksheets. Guidance is gradually faded until the students perform the task with few prompts from the teacher. 4. Provide Independent Student Practice Students perform additional problems without teacher prompts or assistance, and the teacher monitors student performance. 5. Feedback and Correction The teacher monitors student performance and provides both positive and corrective feedback using the following guidelines:
6. Program for Generalization The teacher provides a cumulative review of problems for maintenance over time (weekly, monthly) and provides opportunities for students to generalize the strategy to other problems (see Figure 3). Teachers can use self-monitoring forms or structured worksheets to help students remember and organize important steps and substeps. For example, students can keep track of their problem solving performance by checking off (√) the steps they completed (e.g., “Did I check the reasonableness of my answer?” √ ). Figure 2: Structured worksheet of the STAR strategyProblem: On a certain morning in College Park, Maryland, the low temperature was -8°F, and the temperature increased by 17°F by the afternoon. What was the temperature in the afternoon that day? Strategy Questions S earch the word problem
T ranslate the words into an equation in picture form A nswer the problem I can cancel -8 and +8, which leaves me with +9 tiles remaining, therefore: (-8°F) + (+17°F) = +9°F R eview the Solution
I checked my answer. +9 remains when I cancel -8 and +8 and I keep my units of 9°F. What is strategy instruction and what are the key components in math?Strategy instruction involves teaching strategies that are both effective (assisting students with acquiring and generalizing information) and efficient (helping students acquire the information in the least amount of time) (Lenz et al., 1996, p. 6). Student retention and learning is enhanced through the systematic use of effective teaching variables (Rosenshine & Stevens, 1986). That is, certain teaching variables (i.e., review, teacher presentation/modeling, guided practice, independent practice, feedback, and cumulative review) are both effective and efficient for teaching math to secondary students with LD (see Gagnon & Maccini, in press, for a complete description). Example of strategy instruction in secondary mathThe example below demonstrates a classroom lesson incorporating the first-letter mnemonic strategy, STAR (Maccini, 1998). This strategy incorporates the previously noted strategy features and effective teaching components to help teach the information efficiently and effectively. In addition, the strategy incorporates the concrete-semiconcrete-abstract (CSA) instructional sequence, which gradually advances to abstract ideas using the following progression:
Prior to the lesson, the teacher should pretest students to make sure they have the prerequisite skills and vocabulary relevant to the appropriate math concept(s) and to make sure the strategy is needed. The teacher then introduces the strategy and describes what a strategy is, including the rationale for learning the specific instructional strategy and where and when to apply it. After an explanation, the teacher asks students to explain the purpose of the strategy, how it will help them solve word problems, and how to use the strategy. Students should memorize the steps of the mnemonic strategy and related substeps for ease of recall by using a rapid-fire rehearsal. This rehearsal technique involves first calling on individual students (or throwing a ball to students) and having them state a strategy step, then repeating the process with other students in the class. The rehearsal becomes faster as students become more fluent with the steps and rely less on teacher prompts or written prompts. What are some considerations to keep in mind when using strategy instruction in math classes?There are a few recommendations to keep in mind when using strategy instruction in your math class (Miller, 1996; Montague, 1988):
Figure 3: Area ExampleProblem: Matt is buying wall-to-wall carpeting for his bedroom, which measures 12 feet by 16 feet. If he has $40 to spend, will he have enough money to buy the carpet that costs $2 per square yard? Strategy Questions Search the word problem
Translate the words into an equation in picture form Answer the problem Area of the room: 12 ft x 16 ft = 192ft² I know that 3 ft = 1 yd, and (3ft)² = (1yd)² so 9 ft² = 1 yd². I will divide 192 ft² by 9 to get yd²: 192 ÷ 9 = 21.3 yd² The carpet costs $2/yd², so I will need to multipy the square yardage of the room by $2: $2 x 21.3 yd² = $42.60. $42.60 is more than $40. Matt does not have enough money. Review the Solution
I checked my answer and it makes sense – Matt needs $2.60 more in order to buy the carpet for his room. ConclusionsStudents with learning disabilities in mathematics often have difficulties deciding how to approach math word problems, making effective procedural decisions, and carrying out specific plans (Maccini & Hughes, 2000; Maccini & Ruhl, 2000). Strategy instruction is an effective method for assisting middle school students with learning disabilities as they complete challenging mathematical problems. To support teacher use of math strategies, this brief defined strategy instruction, and provided key features of effective strategies and instructing youth in the use of a strategy. The practical examples presented illustrate how strategies such as STAR can be applied to a variety of math concepts and can provide the support necessary to ensure student success. Maccini, P., Gagnon, J. (2006). Mathematics Strategy Instruction (SI) for Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities. Access Center How do you teach math to special needs students?Use Hands-on Materials. Consider using flash cards to go over math facts that need to be memorized.. Incorporate computerized math toys and software with visual and auditory prompts, such as the GeoSafari Math Whiz, a portable game that teaches addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.. What are the 5 math strategies?5 Essential Strategies in Teaching Math. Make math a part of the conversation. Gone are the days when students memorized hundreds of formulas and concepts without even being willing to understand the logic behind them. ... . Make math fun with games. ... . Be proactive. ... . Organize quizzes. ... . Consider evaluating your teaching approach.. What are the 3 strategies in teaching mathematics?Basic Math Teaching Strategies. Repetition. A simple strategy teachers can use to improve math skills is repetition. ... . Timed testing. ... . Pair work. ... . Manipulation tools. ... . Math games.. What are the teaching strategies in special education?Here are some strategies that special education teachers can use to benefit all of their students.. Form small groups. ... . Create classroom centers. ... . Blend 'the Basics' with more specialized instruction. ... . Rotate lessons. ... . Try thematic instruction. ... . Provide different levels of books and materials.. |