Closing the Word-Problem Achievement Gap in First Grade: Schema-Based Word-Problem Intervention with Embedded...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Mathematics Education

Background:

• Word-problem solving is a critical skill for academic success.
• At-risk first graders often struggle with word-problem comprehension and solving.
• Effective interventions require structured approaches and may benefit from language support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate schema-based word-problem intervention for at-risk first graders.
• To compare interventions with and without embedded language comprehension instruction.
• To assess the necessity of a structured approach and the efficacy of schema-based instruction at the first-grade level.

Main Methods:

• 391 first graders were randomly assigned to four conditions: schema-based intervention with language instruction, schema-based intervention without language instruction, number knowledge intervention, and a control group.
• Interventions consisted of 45 30-minute sessions.
• Multilevel models were used to analyze word-problem performance, controlling for classroom and school effects.

Main Results:

• Schema-based word-problem interventions significantly outperformed the number knowledge and control groups.
• The schema-based intervention with embedded language comprehension instruction yielded significantly better word-problem performance than the condition without language instruction.
• All intervention groups showed improved arithmetic skills compared to the control group, but only word-problem interventions improved word-problem solving.

Conclusions:

• A structured approach, specifically schema-based instruction, is effective for first-grade word-problem intervention.
• Integrating language comprehension instruction into word-problem interventions provides added benefits.
• Language comprehension plays a critical causal role in word-problem solving for young learners.