Explicit Instruction as an Intervention for Fourth-Grade Students - Introduction
Can we improve math proficiency with explicit instruction? We sure can. Let's discuss why.
Last week, I completed my graduate coursework in education. As part of the graduation requirements, I had to conduct an Action Research project on a topic of my choice. I decided to write about explicit instruction as a whole group intervention for 4th-grade math students.
Over the next three posts, I'll be sharing my introduction and parts of my literature review. I'll reference this work from time to time throughout the year, and posting it here will make it easier to find.
Introduction (Currently reading)
Explicit Instruction as an Intervention
Introduction
Math scores among 4th-grade students in the United States are on a downward trend. Students nationwide participate in the congressionally mandated National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to measure academic progress every year. The 2022 NAEP results show how alarming this trend is.
In Pennsylvania, students take the Pennsylvania State Standardized Assessment (PSSA) to measure academic progress and gauge growth. Unfortunately, scores from the 2021-2022 academic year mirror the national trend of declining mathematics proficiency amongst 4th graders. Of the 114,822 4th-grade students tested in math in Pennsylvania, 30.9% scored below basic, indicating a need for effective interventions to address this problem.
In the School District of Philadelphia, the results are even more alarming. About 60% of students scored below basic in math, and roughly two-thirds of Black, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students fell into the below-basic category, highlighting the existing achievement gaps in our education system. If unaddressed, "inadequate mathematics skills may negatively affect employment opportunities and salary" (Lee et al., 2023).
Educators, administrators, and policymakers have debated the best way to improve proficiency in mathematics. Some academics believe explicit instruction is the best way to close the math achievement gap, while others point to more broad constructivist approaches (Johnson et al., 2022).
After analyzing student data and instructional trends, the School District of Philadelphia should consider implementing whole group explicit instruction as an intervention to balance out it’s problem-based core curriculum to increase math proficiency amongst 4th grade students.
References
Ashman, G., Kalyuga, S., & Sweller, J. (2019). Problem-solving or Explicit Instruction: Which Should Go First When Element Interactivity Is High? Educational Psychology Review, 229–247.
Doabler, C. T., & Fien, H. (2013). Explicit Mathematics Instruction: What Teachers Can Do for Teaching Students With Mathematics Difficulties. Intervention in School and Clinic, 48(5), 276–285. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053451212473151
Evaluation, research, and Accountability. The School District of Philadelphia. (2023). https://www.philasd.org/era/pssa-pasa-information/
Gerzel-Short, L., & Hedin, L. (2021). Purposeful use of high-leverage practices to teach number sense. Intervention in School and Clinic, 57(3), 163–168. https://doi.org/10.1177/10534512211014839
Hinton, V., & Flores, M. (2022). Concrete-representational-abstract–integrated as a tier 2 instruction to teach addition. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 41(3), 169–178. https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705221075756
Illustrative mathematics Im K–5 math: Im Demo. Illustrative Mathematics IM K–5 Math | IM Demo. (2021). https://curriculum.illustrativemathematics.org/k5/curriculum.html
Johnson, N. C., Franke, M. L., & Turrou, A. C. (2022, October 31). Making competence explicit: Helping students take up opportunities to engage in math together. Teachers College Record.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1358603
Krawec, J., & Steinberg, M. (2019). Inquiry-based instruction in mathematics for students with learning disabilities: A review of the literature. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 24(2), 27–35. https://doi.org/10.18666/ldmj-2019-v24-i2-9866
Long, H. M., Bouck, E. C., & Jakubow, L. N. (2021). Explicit instruction in mathematics: Considerations for Virtual Learning. Journal of Special Education Technology, 36(2), 67–76. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162643421994099
McLesky, J., Barringer, M.-D., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Jackson, D., Kennedy, M., & Lewis, T. (2017). High-leverage practices in special education. Council for Exceptional Children.
PSSA results. Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2023). https://www.education.pa.gov/DataAndReporting/Assessments/Pages/PSSA-Results.aspx
Siregar, Nani Restati. (2021). Explicit instruction and executive functioning capacity: A new direction in cognitive load theory. Journal of Education, 203(2), 451–458. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574211033256
Stevens, E. A., Leroux, A. J., Mowbray, M. H., & Lee, G. S. (2022). Evaluating the effects of adding explicit vocabulary instruction to a word-problem schema intervention. Exceptional Children, 89(3), 275–293. https://doi.org/10.1177/00144029221112290