A Meta-Analysis of Mathematical Interventions for Increasing the Word Problem Solving Performance of Upper Elementary and Secondary Students with Mathematics Difficulties

Previous studies have indicated wide variation in the effectiveness of cognitive and behaviour therapies (CBTs) for preventing and treating anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, indicating the presence of moderators influencing outcomes. This meta-analysis investigated whether sample characteristics (child age, child baseline anxiety levels, parental baseline anxiety levels) and intervention characteristics (intervention duration, facilitator contact time, facilitator background, delivery formats, parental involvement) moderate the effectiveness of CBTs for universal prevention, targeted prevention, and treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. We identified 86 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effectiveness of 98 CBTs versus non-active controls. Effect sizes were the post-intervention standardized mean difference of children's broad anxiety symptoms between CBT and non-active controls. Moderation analyses were conducted separately on child- and parent-reported outcomes using meta-regression and subgroup analyses. We found some evidence for (1) a moderating role of child age, facilitator background, and parental involvement on the effectiveness of CBTs for universal prevention; (2) a moderating role of child age and intervention duration on the effectiveness of CBTs for targeted prevention; (3) a moderating role of child age, facilitator contact time, and delivery formats on the effectiveness of CBTs for treatment. There was no evidence for a moderating role of child baseline anxiety levels on the effectiveness of CBTs for universal/targeted prevention or treatment. The moderating role of parental baseline anxiety levels and its potential interaction with parental involvement was not tested given the limited available data. Although these findings provide insights into the question of what works for whom, they should be interpreted cautiously given the limited available data, wide variation in outcomes, potential confounders, and discrepancies between child- and parent-reported outcomes.

This paper details a literature review of mathematics vocabulary intervention studies for students with mathematics difficulty. The primary aim was to identify instructional practices that support mathematics vocabulary development. We conducted a database search to identify mathematics intervention studies either focused exclusively on vocabulary or with an embedded vocabulary component. Ultimately, 13 studies with participants from kindergarten to Grade 8 were included in the review. The majority of included studies had dual foci on vocabulary and other mathematics content, including whole number computation, word problem solving, fractions, algebra, or geometry. All studies that measured mathematics vocabulary performance indicated positive student outcomes. In addition, multiple studies indicated positive effects on measures of other mathematics content beyond mathematics vocabulary knowledge. We noted six instructional practices across studies that bolstered the mathematics vocabulary performance of students with mathematics difficulty. From most to least common, these practices included formal vocabulary use, explicit instruction, use of representations, repeated exposures, pre‐teaching, and graphic organizers. Implications are addressed for both researchers and practitioners.

This chapter explores mathematics education for students with mathematical difficulties (MD) and disabilities. Academic achievement measures have remained stagnant for this student population over the past 20 years (NAEP, 2013). The authors highlight Multi-Tiered System of Support and evidence-based strategies as a means to address the unique needs of students with disabilities within inclusion and general education contexts. Common characteristics of students with MD are challenges with working memory, number sense, symbols, basic fact computational fluency, word problem solving, and self-regulation. Educators can apply these specific recommendations to enhance mathematics instruction to address the critical factors for academic success for all students, but specifically students in special education or with MD. In order to implement these evidence-based strategies and ensure specially designed instruction is being provided, co-teaching models are reviewed as one way to provide instructional support in an inclusive setting.

School-based physical activity interventions: which intervention characteristics are associated with participation and retention? A meta-analysis

BODY Sedentary behavior (SB) is associated with substantial health risks such as increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, diabetes, and cognitive and physical functioning decline. Older adults are particularly at risk as they are the most sedentary population. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the overall effects of interventions designed to reduce SB among older adults. A comprehensive literature search of online databases, bibliographies, and author searches located published and unpublished studies. Included studies tested interventions to reduce SB time, were written in English, and focused on community-dwelling adults age 60 years or older. Data were extracted on sample, study design, and intervention characteristics using an investigator-developed tool. Study effect sizes were synthesized using a random effects model. Heterogeneity of effects across studies was examined; however, moderator analyses were not conducted due to the small number of included studies. Of the 2,408 reviewed citations, 22 reports were included representing 17 distinct studies, eight of which were included in the two-group post-test meta-analysis (n= 1,024 participants). Interventions overall modestly reduced SB time among older adults (d=-.25, 95% CI [-.50, .00], p=.05); however, significant heterogeneity of effect size was observed across studies (Q=22.34, p<.01). Our findings demonstrate a need for more research targeting SB reduction in this high-risk population. Future research should include measures of breaks in sedentary time and types of SB (e.g., watching TV, reading) which are also critical indicators of health risk. Moreover, further exploration of relationships between health outcomes and SB intervention effects is needed.

Using meta-analyses for comparative effectiveness research

Prior research suggests that linguistic complexity may impede mathematics word problem solving by English Learners, but results have been inconsistent. The present study employed an experimental design to investigate the effects of linguistic complexity and mathematics difficulty on word problem solving by middle school English Learners. &nbsp; Results were consistent with predictions from Cognitive Load Theory: Performance was poorer for word problems written in more complex language compared to the same problems in easier text, and the weakest performance was observed for problems that were both linguistically and mathematically challenging. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis suggested a model including a latent factor, hypothesized to be working memory, provided a good fit to the data. &nbsp; Additionally, linguistic complexity had a significant influence on students&rsquo; perceptions of the mathematical difficulty of the problems. &nbsp; The results are consistent with recent suggestions that English Learners&rsquo; lower performance in math reflects the additional cognitive demands associated with text comprehension.

This study seeks to examine the difficulties faced by Grade 7 students in Gumaca, Quezon, in learning mathematics, with the aim of providing a basis for an intervention program. It determined the profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, and grades in mathematics (first quarter). It showed the difficulties in learning mathematics among grade 7 learners with respect to: performing geometric construction, addition and subtraction with negative numbers, difficulty with word problems that involve percentage and understanding the logical progression of concepts. The researcher used mixed method of research. It also revealed the lived experiences and difficulties encountered by the respondents in mathematics subject. This study employed proportionate random sampling. Under this procedure, the researcher considered using one hundred (100) Grade 7 students as respondents from Gumaca, Quezon to get the 100% of the respondents. The findings revealed that most of the respondents are between 12 to 13 years old. The male respondents outnumbered the female population. The majority of the Grade 7 student’s grade ranges from 81 to 90. This study found out that Grade 7 students in Gumaca, Quezon responded difficult that they are always experiencing difficulty in solving word problem involving percentage and there is significant differences on the difficulties in learning mathematics among grade 7 learners when grouped according to sex and grade. From the result of the study, recommendation was drawn. To the School Administrators: they may provide continuous professional development programs focused on differentiated instruction, remedial strategies, and the use of manipulatives and technology in teaching Mathematics. To the Parents: they may reinforce basic Math skills through daily practice such as budgeting, measuring, or playing educational Math games. To the Teachers: they may offer additional help to struggling learners through tutorials, peer mentoring, or individualized learning tasks. To the Students: they may utilize available learning resources such as textbooks, online tutorials, educational apps, and visual aids to supplement their classroom learning. To the Future Researchers: they may conduct similar studies in different grade levels or educational settings to compare difficulties in learning Mathematics across various age groups and learning environments.

Difficulties in mathematical language and representation were the dominant difficulties in solving word problems for students in elementary school. The research aims to analyze students' mathematical language and representation difficulties when solving word problems. The research subjects were 114 fifth-grade elementary school students selected using a purposive sampling technique with different mathematical abilities. The research was conducted at an elementary school in Sumbawa District, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Data collection techniques included tests, questionnaires, and interviews. The research results show that students' difficulties in mathematical language were dominant indicators of sentences. Students had difficulties in mathematical representation indicators, which were dominant in symbols. The factors that cause difficulty for high, middle, and lower ability students are unaccustomed to solving word problems and using problem-solving procedures, difficulty with concepts, difficulty with reasoning, difficulty understanding what is known and what is being asked, not being careful in reading the problem, and difficulty with long sentences. Student word problem-solving is in the low category.

ObjectivesInvolving parents and children in mindfulness-based interventions may holistically benefit family well-being. This meta-analysis systematically reviews and synthesizes the effects of mindfulness-based parallel-group (MBPG) interventions, which simultaneously involve parent and child, on family functioning, and the mental health of parents and children.MethodsA total of 20 relevant studies were identified from 14 databases. The overall intervention effect size was estimated by pooled standardized mean difference. Moderator analyses were performed to explain the variability in intervention effects. Risk of bias and publication bias were also assessed.ResultsMBPG interventions showed minor-to-small positive effects on family functioning (d = 0.182, 95% CI [0.045, 0.319]), parental mental health (d = 0.238, 95% CI [0.110, 0.365]), and child mental health (d = 0.325, 95% CI [0.137, 0.513]). The effects of MBPG interventions on child mental health varied significantly by child age, child gender, recruitment setting, type of parent group, other activities in child group, other activities in parent group, and study design.ConclusionsMBPG interventions show promising effects in improving mental health of both parents and children as well as in improving overall family functioning. However, significant variations exist in characteristics of participants, interventions, and study designs. Given the limited evidence currently available, more studies are needed to assess the determinants of effectiveness in MBPG interventions.Protocol Registration: PROSPERO #CRD42020164927

The purpose of this chapter is to describe an evidence-based instructional program, schema-based instruction (SBI), which provides support in word problem solving for students who have difficulties in mathematics (MD). First, I describe mathematical word problem solving and the critical components linked to the ability to understand and solve word problems. Second, I describe the theoretical framework for SBI, including a discussion of its unique features and how SBI contributes to word problem solving performance. Third, I summarize previous research on SBI to understand the instructional conditions that need to be in place to support mathematical word problem solving for students with MD. Last, I conclude with a discussion of challenges yet to be addressed.

Children with low performance in early numeracy are at risk of facing learning difficulties in mathematics, but few trials have examined how this can be ameliorated. A total of 120 first-grade children ( Mage = 6.4 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control condition. The 14-week intervention targeted early numeracy skills and was delivered in small groups three times a week. Immediately after the initial 8-week intervention phase, moderate and positive effects were found on early numeracy ( d = 0.19), word problem solving ( d = 0.41), and approximate number sense ( d = 0.35). However, only the effects on word problems were significant, and all effects disappeared after the children undertook a second 6-week intervention phase. Overall, results indicate that (a) early numeracy skills are malleable in low-performing children, but (b) frequent and long-term interventions are needed for the positive effects to last.

Verbal counting skill predicts later math performance and difficulties in middle school

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for the use of classroom discourse and investigation into the relationships between their dimensions of science education. This study investigated how upper elementary students use the dimensions when responding to interview questions involving real world data. Results indicate a strong relationship between these responses and the demonstration of the scientific practice of constructing explanations and designing solutions. To support this practice, students primarily drew upon the scientific concepts of cause and effect: mechanisms and explanation and systems and system models. When these concepts were utilized at or above grade level, as determined by the NGSS progression matrices, they routinely resulted in a scientific explanation or solution that was also at or above grade level. Additionally, when students used multiple scientific concepts when giving a response, they repeatedly demonstrated scientific explanations or solutions at or above grade level. This research reinforces the importance placed on the relationship between crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices found in the NGSS. This work has been accomplished with support by National Science Foundation Grant #1316660.

The growing mental health needs of students within schools have resulted in teachers increasing their involvement in the delivery of school-based, psychosocial interventions. Current research reports mixed findings concerning the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions delivered by teachers for mental health outcomes. This article presents a systematic review and meta-analysis that examined the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial interventions delivered by teachers on internalizing and externalizing outcomes and the moderating factors that influence treatment effects on these outcomes. Nine electronic databases, major journals, and gray literature (e.g., websites, conference abstract) were searched and field experts were contacted to locate additional studies. Twenty-four studies that met the study inclusion criteria were coded into internalizing or externalizing outcomes and further analyzed using robust variance estimation in meta-regression. Both publication and risk of bias of studies were further assessed. The results showed statistically significant reductions in students' internalizing outcomes (d=.133, 95% CI [.002, .263]) and no statistical significant effect for externalizing outcomes (d=.15, 95% CI [-.037, .066]). Moderator analysis with meta-regression revealed that gender (%male, b=-.017, p<.05), race (% Caucasian, b=.002, p<.05), and the tier of intervention (b=.299, p=.06) affected intervention effectiveness. This study builds on existing literature that shows that teacher-delivered Tier 1 interventions are effective interventions but also adds to this literature by showing that interventions are more effective with internalizing outcomes than on the externalizing outcomes. Moderator analysis also revealed treatments were more effective with female students for internalizing outcomes and more effective with Caucasian students for externalizing outcomes.