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The Effect of Tutoring With Nonstandard Equations for Students With Mathematics Difficulty
Sarah R Powell1, Melissa K Driver2, Tyler E Julian3
1University of Texas at Austin, USA srpowell@austin.utexas.edu.
Journal of Learning Disabilities
|November 22, 2013
Summary
Students with mathematics difficulty (MD) improved equal sign understanding and equation solving by using nonstandard equations in tutoring. Combined tutoring significantly outperformed standard tutoring and control groups.
Area of Science:
- Mathematics Education
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Students frequently misunderstand the equal sign as an operational symbol rather than a relational one.
- This misinterpretation stems from limited exposure to equations fostering a relational understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of nonstandard equations on equation-solving skills and equal-sign comprehension in second-grade students with mathematics difficulty (MD).
Main Methods:
- Fifty-one second-grade students with MD were randomly assigned to three groups: standard equations tutoring, combined tutoring (standard and nonstandard equations), and a control group.
- The study assessed gains in equation-solving and equal-sign understanding across conditions.
Main Results:
- Students in the combined tutoring group showed significantly greater improvements in both equation solving and equal-sign tasks compared to the standard tutoring and control groups.
- Students receiving standard tutoring also showed improvement over the control group, but the gains were less substantial than in the combined group.
Conclusions:
- Exposure to and practice with nonstandard equations positively impact students' understanding of the equal sign.
- Integrating nonstandard equations into tutoring programs is a promising strategy for enhancing mathematical understanding in students with MD.
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