Can improving reading skills bolster math proficiency?

By Winnie Tam, Centre for University and School Partnership, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Research has shown that engagement with mathematics-related literature, such as books on numbers and geometry, can improve the corresponding math skills in young children. However, the impact of reading material not directly related to mathematics on primary school students remains less well-understood. A quasi-experimental study by Zhang and colleagues examined the effects of reading on the mathematical performance of second-grade students. The study involved 134 participants from three second-grade classes at a public primary school in Chongqing, China. The classes were randomly allocated to one of three groups: a math-unrelated reading intervention group (n=44), a math-related reading intervention group (n=45), and a control group (n=45). Both reading interventions, administered by the same experimenter, involved twice-weekly 40- to 45-minute sessions for 4 weeks supplementary to regular classes, while the control group attended classes as usual. Outcomes were measured by the Chinese Children and Adolescents Mathematical Achievement Test compiled by Beijing Normal University.

The reading materials for the intervention groups were picture books with text, with math-related books covering topics like probability and division, and non-mathematical books focusing on cognitive and social themes. An emphasis on vocabulary was common to both interventions, with instructors using various techniques to highlight key words and phrases. Techniques included putting words into sentences, relating words to contexts, using dramatic gestures, modulating voices, and changing speaking speed. Results showed that both reading intervention groups significantly outperformed the control group, with no differences between the math-related and unrelated conditions. Gender, baseline math ability, and general cognition did not moderate these effects.

The authors posit that improving vocabulary and reading comprehension through either intervention may have enhanced mathematical performance, as the assessment involved word problems. However, limitations of research method preclude strong conclusions. Further research utilizing more rigorous methodologies could help clarify the mechanisms by which reading and math skills interact over developmental stages.

Does teacher coaching matter? Insights from 4Rs + MTP integration in SEL and literacy implementation

By Carmen Pannone, University of Cagliari, Italy

The implementation of social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions has shown significant benefits for students’ social-emotional and academic outcomes. However, studies indicate  that low fidelity of implementation can undermine these results. In contrast, structured one-on-one coaching for teachers appears to enhance SEL interventions. Despite the benefits of the  validated 4Rs (Reading, Writing, Respect, and Resolution) program, which  integrates social-emotional development into language arts, challenges arose due to its original coaching model lacking structure, leading to implementation discrepancies. On the other hand,  the MyTeachingPartner (MTP) model, an evidence-based approach, provides structured one-on-one video coaching and access to teaching practices exemplars, yielding positive effects on teacher-student interaction and student outcomes.

Following a successful randomized control trial demonstrating the effectiveness of combining 4Rs and MTP in improving students’ outcomes, a recent study employed a quasi-experimental design (QED) to evaluate the impact of integrating the 4Rs curriculum with the MTP coaching model while isolating the effects of MTP coaching support. To do so, Doyle and colleagues compared nine schools, where the 4Rs curriculum was implemented without MTP in 2005-2006, to six elementary schools from the same district that implemented both programs together during 2012-2013.

The classroom-level outcomes of combining 4Rs + MTP appear promising: there were significantly lower levels of hostile attribution bias (ES = +0.17) and aggressive interpretational negotiation strategies (ES = +0.29), alongside higher attendance rates (ES =+ 0.46) and teacher-reported academic skills (ES =+0.17). Additionally, there was a positive effect on social competence (ES = +0.13, p < 0.10) for the combined intervention, although it was not significant. This suggests that implementing 4Rs combined with MTP support could have an even greater overall impact. However, interpreting these results requires caution due to the inability to control for potential impacts of policy changes over the years, a higher risk composition, and a greater age variation for the 4Rs + MTP group (including 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students, compared to only 4th-graders in the 4Rs only group). Additionally, the reliance on teachers’ and students’ perceptions to measure SEL skills rather than using direct or observational SEL skill assessments needs to be considered. Nonetheless, the study highlights the importance of an evidence-based teacher coaching model aimed at supporting high-quality SEL implementation.

Math Corps’ tutoring program: Math knowledge impacts and participant math perceptions

By José L. Arco-Tirado, University of Granada (Spain)

Recently, Mathematica reported the results of an evaluation study of the Math Corps’ Tutoring Program, an evidence-based math tutoring program delivering personalized support to all students, in particular students who are Black, Latino, and/or in poverty.

During two school years (i.e. 2020–2021 and 2021–2022), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded the rapid-cycle evaluations of a cohort of 10 tutoring providers seeking to understand how different tutoring models lead to improved academic outcomes. Mathematica worked with each one of the tutoring providers to identify the most rigorous and feasible study design. Math Corps’ quasi-experimental study used a mixed methods analysis. Their evaluation  matched AmeriCorps tutors with schools to support approximately 24 students in grades 4 through 8, in pairs or groups of three, for 90 minutes each week in 30- to 45-minute, in-person sessions within a one-to-three-month planning period.

 The evaluation encountered some delays in gathering data, affecting both the quality of matching between students who participated in Math Corps and the comparison group and the window to gather data.  The main findings focused on growth from midyear to the end of the year and showed that (a) participating in Math Corps was associated with improvements in students’ math knowledge and positive student–tutor relationships, sense of belonging, and confidence in math; and (b) Math Corps students demonstrated moderate growth in math knowledge compared to similar students in the control group.

Evaluation of an online computer programming training approach with precision feedback

By Winnie Tam, Centre for University and School Partnership, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Due to the rapid development of information technology, acquiring computer programming knowledge is growing in prominence, and computational thinking has become a fundamental skill for children. Using the Two-Tier Test-Based Programming Training (T3PT) approach, Hwang and Tung developed an online learning system for beginners and conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effect of the system on secondary school students’ computer programming learning.

The Two-Tier Test-Based Programming Training consists of two tiers of questions: the first to assesses students’ understanding of the programming concept, and the second to investigate the reasons for students’ choice in the first tier test to detect whether students have misconceptions about the programming. The learning system, based on students’ responses, provides timely precise feedback to students to enhance their understanding of the correct concepts of programming logic.

Two classes of 99 eighth grade students from Taiwan were divided into an experimental group (n=49, female = 21) and a control group (n=50, female = 24). Students in the experimental group used the T3PT learning approach, while the control group used a conventional computer learning approach. Both groups were taught by the same teacher using the content of Scratch programming for 90-minute learning over 2 weeks. Authors designed measures that were used to assess students’ programming knowledge and programming logic. Problem-solving awareness was assessed with a self-reported questionnaire. The results indicated that:

•            After controlling for pre-test scores, there was no significant difference between the two groups in programming knowledge for memory-type questions (ES =+ 0.21). However, the T3PT approach was significantly better than the conventional approach in terms of programming logic-type questions (ES = +0.46).

•            After controlling for pre-test scores, the experimental group had significantly higher problem-solving awareness than the control group (ES = +0.47).

•            By comparing responses after the training, students in the experimental group had higher satisfaction with the learning approach than the control group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of technology acceptance.

Though the results of this study may not be able to be generalized because of the small sample size, short experimental period, and author designed measures based on learning content, this study does provide preliminary evidence of the impact of the T3PT approach on students’ programming learning achievement. The authors believed this approach can be extended to other environments, such as game-based learning or cooperative learning.