Learning Disabilities and Mathematics- Case

17 Emtinan Alqurashi

Elif Gokbel Kimberly Sumpter

Tasnem Alarbi

GPSY 662 Learning DisabilitiesSummer 2015

Background● Name: Brianna (Female)● Age: 9 years-old● Grade: 3● Was born full term● Resides with both parents and her older sister● No history of learning disabilities in the family● “Happy, loving, and caring child who enjoys

music and sports”, her mother reports

Educational History● Attended pre-kindergarten, was

absent for 26 days

● In kindergarten, she was reported as not mastering early benchmark skills in mathematics

● Received numerous interventions for language arts and mathematics in first grade

Disabilities (teacher’s

observation) Brianne - has extremely weak number sense- has difficulty reading “hundreds chart”- often transposes numbers- struggles to count forward and backward from

points on number line- is lacking many basic numeric concepts and

number identification skills- has not met most third grade benchmark

standards in math but in fact her skills were on a first grade level

Disabilities (test results) - Perceptual reasoning- Number sense - knowledge of basic number relationship - two-digit computation problems - single-digit multiplication or division- multiple-choice tasks- spatial working memory tasks

Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)

Overview:● pairing students based on needs & abilities● monitoring performance & correct use of PALS,

providing specific, regular & constructive feedback & praise

● changing pairs regularly● teaching PALS rules: 1) Be nice & helpful2) Only talk about PALS & Math3) Use your soft PALS voice

Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (cont.)

PALS Coach & Player Activity:- students use game boards (kindergarten & 1st grade)

or worksheets (grades 2-6)- coach uses a sheet containing questions that guide

the player - coaching lasts 15-20 minutes- student uses mixed-problem practice worksheet that

include the problem type student just worked on & easier types of problems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeAjkTbyZyk

- students do independent 5-10 minutes practice- students exchange & score the practice sheets

Assistive Technology: Dream Box Learning

● Supplemental online mathematics program● adaptive instruction for students in grades K–5 ● focuses on number and operations, place value,

and number sense● individualized instruction (Tier I, II, and III)● a range of instructional settings● NCTM&common core standards

Program Details● more than 720 online lessons

● playing math games and solving puzzles using DreamBox Learning’s virtual manipulatives

● Reporting tools for monitoring student progress

Research: The effectiveness of Dream Box

● 11 studies that investigated the effects of DreamBox Learning on the math performance of elementary school students

● Wang and Woodworth’s (2011) study:o 557 kindergarten and first grade studentso intervention vs. comparison group o significant positive effect on mathematics

achievement

An example Multiplication area model

http://www.dreambox.com

Concrete-Representational-Abstract● “Ensure students develop a tangible

understanding of math concepts/skills they learned

● Hands-on materials (concrete)● Pictorial representation (representational)● Mathematical problems with numbers and

symbols (abstract)o Important: Make sure you run through each

stagehttps://youtu.be/4Go-jM9fDLg?t=25s

Strategies/Programs● Model● Use

manipulatives● Use pictures● Use number

lines● Games● Camelot

Learning Program

http://www.camelotlearning.com/

Materials● number line● dice● calculators● unifix cubes● beads● string● tangrams● geared clocks

ConclusionPeer Assisted Learning

+Assistive Technology

+Concrete-Representational- Abstract

=Success for Brianna in math!

ReferencesWang, H., & Woodworth, K. (2011). Evaluation of Rocketship Education’s use of DreamBox Learning’s online mathematics program. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International. Retrieved from http://www.rogersfoundation.org/system/resources/0000/0013/Rocketship_SRI_Study.pdf

Powell, S., & Seethaler, P. (2011). Intervention Name: Concrete-Representational-Abstract. Retrieved June 24, 2015, from http://ebi.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/EBI-Brief-Template-Concrete-Representational-Abstract.pdf

Concrete and Abstract Representations (Using Mathematical Tools). (2008, November 24). Retrieved June 24, 2015, from https://mathteachingstrategies.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/concrete-and-abstract-representations-using-mathematical-tools/

http://www.blueprintsprograms.com/evaluationAbstracts.php?pid=83a002e8ffbe10a8e5bfd289b565b247092a9b70