Challenges in identifying target skills for math disability screening and intervention

Gersten, Jordan, and Flojo (in this series) review their research on math difficulties, with an emphasis on applying current knowledge to inform practices of early identification and intervention. On a practical level, educators are in dire need of empirically based screening and intervention tools. From a scientific perspective, it is important to recognize the need to clearly define what we seek to identify and remediate, and to acknowledge that we are currently far from achieving this goal despite recent advances in the field. Among the studies reviewed by Gersten et al., as well as other studies by several other researchers, there is much variability in how mathematics difficulties are defined and measured, and even in the terms used to refer to them. I address the degree of consensus and controversy currently characterizing the state of math learning disabilities research, with an emphasis on the usefulness of a developmental perspective in appraising this young field.     

Four Philosophical Perspectives on School Inspection: An Introduction

This article offers an introduction to the four philosophical perspectives on school inspection that are presented in the articles which follow. Several aspects of practical contexts relating to school inspection are outlined (with particular reference to England) and major points made in the articles are outlined.     

Introduction to the Special Issue: Global Perspectives on Vocational Guidance

This thematic issue of the International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance includes a selection of papers presented at an IAEVG-NCDA Symposium, entitled “International Perspectives on Career Development”. The articles in this special issue deal with a number of topics related to international developments and perspectives, the impact of globalisation on guidance practice and research, and comparative approaches to educational and vocational guidance that differentiate career development practices in different countries. The outcome of the general discussion that centred around these specific themes at the International Symposium were jointly published in a special issue of the Career Development Quarterly, Vol. 54, No. 1.

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Zusammenfassung. Einleitung zur Sonderausgabe: Weltweite Perspektiven der Berufsberatung Diese thematische Ausgabe des Internationalen Journals für Bildungs- und Berufsberatung enthält eine Auswahl von Vorträgen, die auf einem AIOSP-NCDA-Symposium mit dem Titel “Internationale Perspektiven der Berufslaufbahnentwicklung” gehalten wurden. Die Artikel dieser Sonderausgabe repräsentieren eine Anzahl von Themen, die internationale Entwicklungen und Perspektiven, die Auswirkungen der Globalisierung auf Praxis und Forschung zur Beruflichen Beratung sowie vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Bildungs- und Berufsberatung betreffen, die Beratungsansätze in verschiedenen Ländern voneinander differenzieren. Die Ergebnisse der allgemeinen Diskussion auf dem internationalen Symposium rund um diese Themen wurden bereits in einer gemeinschaftlich herausgegebenen Sonderausgabe des Career Development Quarterly, Jahrgang 54, Nr. 1, veröffentlicht.

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Resumen. Introducción al Número Especial: Perspectivas Globales de la Orientación Profesional Este número temático de la Revista Internacional de Orientación Educativa y Profesional incluye una selección de comunicaciones presentadas en un Simposio Internacional de la AIOEP-NCDA (Asociación Nacional del Desarrollo de la Carrera), denominado Perspectivas Internacionales sobre el Desarrollo de la Carrera. Los artículos de este número especial abordan una serie de temas relacionados con diversas perspectivas y avances en el ámbito internacional, el impacto de la globalización sobre la investigación y la práctica de la orientación, y análisis comparativos de la orientación educativa y profesional que permiten diferenciar prácticas de desarrollo de la carrera en distintos países. Los resultados y conclusiones de la discusión general que se generó en torno a estos temas en el Simposio Internacional se publicaron conjuntamente en un número especial del Career Development Quarterly, Vol. 54, No. 1.

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Résumé. Introduction au Numéro Spécial: Perspectives mondiales sur l’orientation professionnelle Ce numéro thématique de l’International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidancecomprend une sélection d’articles présentés à un Symposium de l’AIOSP-NCDA, intitulé Perspectives Internationales sur le Développement de la Vie de Travail. Les articles de ce numéro spécial concernent un ensemble de thèmes liés à des évolutions et des perspectives internationales, à l’impact de la mondialisation sur la pratique et la recherche en orientation ainsi qu’à des approches de l’orientation scolaire et professionnelle qui différencient les pratiques en développement de la vie de travail dans différents pays. Les conclusions de la discussion générale qui était centrée sur ces thèmes spécifiques au Symposium International ont été publiés conjointement dans un numéro spécial du Career Development Quarterly, Vol. 54, No. 1.

     

Middle and high school math teaching for students with mild intellectual disability

The author briefly reviews studies on the math teaching of secondary school students with mild intellectual disabilities. Then, the author demonstrates ways to teach secondary-level mathematics to students with mild intellectual disabilities. In this article, readers will learn about how to use manipulatives, diagrams, and gestures to support students' thinking. Readers will also learn how to make connections between new and challenging math content to students' experiences inside and outside of school to support them as they think through mathematics.     

Assessment with children who experience difficulty in mathematics

In recent years, there has been growing awareness of the impact that difficulties in mathematics can have on the life chances of children and young people. Consequently, a range of targeted interventions has been developed to support learners. However, when difficulties persist in spite of such intervention, next steps are not always clear. This article describes how assessment can be used in such cases, to build a better understanding of a child's situation and plan appropriate intervention. Two complimentary approaches to assessment are outlined: curriculum‐based assessment, which considers which parts of the maths curriculum a learner finds difficult and diagnostic assessment which asks why this might be so. Assessment tools and links between assessment and intervention are also discussed.     

Reading, writing, and remediation: Perspectives on the dyslexic learning disability from remedial outcome data

This article addresses the problem of what constitutes effective remediation for developmental dyslexia, combining neuropsychological and applied cognitive perspectives on specific reading disability. Despite its high prevalence, whether the disorder is amenable to treatment and what constitutes effective treatment were questions which, until recently, remained essentially unaddressed by properly controlled evaluation studies. Positive results from controlled remediation studies and experimental training paradigms with disabled and poor reader samples are reviewed. As part of a clinical research program at The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto, we have completed a series of treatment outcome studies with dyslexic samples (cumulative N = 285) in which we evaluated the efficacy of different programs designed to remediate the reading and reading-related deficits of dyslexic children and adolescents. Results from one of these studies are summarized to illustrate the unique perspective afforded through remedial outcome data: Emphasis is placed on what the results of such studies may reveal of dyslexic learning disabilities.     

Perspectives on school readiness in rural Ireland: the experiences of parents and children

In contrast to a burgeoning literature examining the experience and management of children's start to school, much less is known about school readiness in rural Ireland. On this premise, a questionnaire survey was designed to explore the views of parents (n=145) on their child's preschool experiences and readiness for school. Due to a paucity of preschool provision in rural areas, attendance was mainly on a sessional basis with a small number having full weekly attendance and others no preschool experience. In consequence, a considerable number of children start school at four years of age, two years below the compulsory starting age. On reflection, almost one-third of the parents in this study believe their child was too young for school. An important feature of this research is the inclusion of young children (n=22) between four and six years of age in their first year at school. Although the children anticipated differences between preschool and school, the majority found it difficult to adapt to having fewer toys and play opportunities and to the formal curriculum which characterises teaching and learning in infant classes. Zeitgeist and global and national economic factors inform the interpretation of the results.     

Introduction to the Special Issue on Perspectives and Experiences on Mentoring Undergraduate Students in Research: Part I

Abstract

This issue is the first of a special PRIMUS two-part issue collecting articles from experienced faculty mentors. We offer it as a valuable resource for faculty leading undergraduate research programs. It is inspired by the “Regional Faculty Workshop on REU Issues” in 2013 and the Joint Mathematics Meeting 2015 Mathematical Association of America’s “Themed Session on Perspectives and Experiences on Mentoring Undergraduate Students in Research.” This issue consists of seven papers focusing on the larger issues involved in creating, running, and sustaining an undergraduate research program in mathematics.     

Co-development of math anxiety,math self-concept,and math value in adolescence: The roles of parents and math teachers

Despite the well-documented negative implications of math anxiety on math learning, a scarcity of theory-guided, long-term longitudinal research limits knowledge about how math anxiety develops over time. Guided by the Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions (Pekrun, 2006), the present study addresses this gap by examining (1) how math anxiety develops in tandem with the development of control and value appraisals across secondary schooling, and (2) how these three constructs co-develop in relation to characteristics of home and school contexts. We used growth mixture modeling to investigate how math anxiety, math self-concept (a frequently examined indicator of control appraisal), and math utility value (one dimension of math value) develop in parallel in a sample of 3116 adolescents, who were assessed annually across middle and high school. We identified three trajectory classes: a stable class, characterized by stably modest math anxiety, high math self-concept, and high math utility value, a linear change class, characterized by increasing math anxiety and decreasing math self-concept and utility value, and a fluctuating class, characterized by curvilinear changes in math anxiety, math self-concept, and math utility value. Parental academic support and teacher bias differentiated the stable class from the fluctuating class at the transition to middle school, and from the linear change class at the transition to high school. Our findings point to the heterogeneous contributions of control and value appraisals towards the development of math anxiety and highlight the importance of investigating multiple dimensions of the socio-ecological context at different stages of math anxiety development.     

Diagnostic considerations in children with reading disability

Summary Nine out of ten children with reading disability are found to have a basic syndrome consisting of signs related to lack of clear-cut cerebral dominance. Two of these nine children have additional signs suggestive of structural brain damage. One out of ten children with reading disability does not have any of these findings. The methods of detecting these groups are described and therapeutic implications indicated. The data described in this paper have been previously reported in: SILVER, A. A. and HAGIN, R., “Specific Reading Disability: Delineation of the Syndrome and Relationship to Cerebral Dominance,” COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRY, 1, 2 (April, 1960), pp. 126–134. The author is indebted to Dr. Rosa A. Hagin for permission to use this material. From BULLETIN OF THE ORTON SOCIETY, Vol. XI, 1961, pp. 5–12.     

Memories of math: Narrative predictors of math affect,math motivation,and future math plans

This mixed-methods study focuses on narratives that undergraduates tell about pivotal moments (i.e., turning points) in their prior history with math. A key objective was to examine whether these turning points would be associated with participants’ current math affect, math motivation, and future plans with math. Undergraduate participants (N = 210) completed quantitative measures assessing math anxiety, math self-expectancy, and math value, and also wrote narratives about a turning point with math and their future math plans. Thematic analysis revealed four themes in the math turning point narratives: (1) redemption, (2) contamination, (3) consistently positive, and (4) consistently negative. Quantitative analyses indicated that participants who wrote consistently positive narratives reported significantly lower math anxiety and higher math self-expectancy and math value relative to participants who wrote other types of narratives. Further, participants who wrote consistently negative turning point narratives were more likely to indicate that they would avoid math in the future. These results suggest that an individual’s memory of their early math experiences can color their math affect, math motivation, and plans for pursuing math in the future, even years after the experience has occurred. Implications for math education are discussed.     

Guest Editor's Introduction: Analyzing Tools: Perspectives on the Role of Designed Artifacts in Mathematics Learning

Concentrating the attention on one aspect makes it leap into the foreground and occupy the square, just as, with certain drawings, you have only to close your eyes and when you open them the perspective has changed. (Calvino, 1983, p. 7)     

Heterogeneity in children at risk of math learning difficulties

This study recruited 428 Singaporean children at risk of math learning difficulties (MLD; M_age = 83.9 months, SD_age = 4.35 months; 41% female). Using a factor mixture model that considered both quantitative and qualitative differences in math ability, two qualitatively different groups were identified: one with generalized difficulties across different math skills and the other with more focal difficulties in arithmetic fluency. Reading, working memory capacity, and numeracy (number line estimation skills and numerical discrimination) uniquely explained group membership. Children within each group differed in the extent of difficulties they exhibited, with numeracy variables differentially contributing to math ability in each group. Findings speak against a dimensional view of MLD and underscore the conceptual limitations of using basic numeracy performance to profile learning difficulties.