Student Practice Opportunities in Core Mathematics Instruction: Exploring for a Goldilocks Effect for Kindergartners...

Area of Science:

• Education
• Psychology
• Special Education

Background:

• Practice is crucial for learning complex behaviors, especially in mathematics.
• Students with mathematics difficulties (MD) require structured practice to master new content and apply skills.
• The optimal amount of practice for students with MD in core math instruction is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if an optimal amount of student practice exists for maximizing mathematics achievement in kindergarten students with MD.
• To determine if a 'Goldilocks effect' (a specific optimal amount) or a 'more is better' effect applies to practice opportunities.

Main Methods:

• Observational data from a large-scale efficacy trial were analyzed.
• The study focused on kindergarten students with mathematics difficulties (MD).
• The frequency of individual student practice opportunities relative to teacher demonstrations was quantified.

Main Results:

• Results supported a 'more is better' approach rather than a 'Goldilocks effect'.
• Three individual practice opportunities for every teacher demonstration were associated with increased mathematics achievement for students with MD.
• Fewer practice opportunities were linked to lower mathematics achievement.

Conclusions:

• Frequent student practice opportunities are vital for improving mathematics achievement in students with MD.
• Professional development for teachers should emphasize facilitating ample practice during core mathematics instruction.
• Findings have implications for instructional design and teacher training for students with mathematics difficulties.