Students with mathematics difficulty, especially students with disabilities and emergent bilinguals, require careful consideration during word-problem instruction. Word problems that include relational terms such as more but are not easily solved using the implied operation (i.e., addition) can be particularly challenging. First, we summarize a…

This study examined how word-problem characteristics influenced students' learning and retention of word-problem knowledge during and after an intervention. The participants were 221 fourth-grade students (average age at pretest = 8.8 years) who experienced word-problem difficulties (WPD) and had received a word-problem intervention in third…

This study examined the effect of comprehension strategy instruction on third-grade English Learners' word-problem-solving performance. The supplemental intervention included modeling how to read the word problem to identify and restate the question, distinguishing relevant from irrelevant information, and collaborating with peers on applying the…

The U.S. Nation's Report Card reveals that lower performing students exhibited greater achievement decline than their average/high performing peers based on 2022 long-term trend mathematics assessments for age 9 students. Technology, including computer-assisted instruction, plays an important role in today's dynamic learning environments.…

We examined how generalized and mathematics-specific language skills predicted the word-problem performance of students with mathematics difficulty. Participants were 325 third-grade students in the southwestern United States who performed at or below the 25th percentile on a word-problem measure. We assessed generalized language skills in word…

The present study used the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2011 (ECLS-K:2011) to examine the bidirectionality and co-occurrence between math achievement and behavioral outcomes of upper elementary school students. We analyzed the cross-lagged relations across four groups of students who had different initiating statuses…

Mathematical word problems present various challenges for students, including English learners. Research on word problem-solving interventions for elementary English learners with or at risk for mathematics disabilities/difficulties was reviewed. A systematic search of studies conducted between 2012 and 2022 yielded a total of 14 research studies…

Increasingly, students must demonstrate knowledge in mathematics through mathematics writing, yet research lags in understanding how students engage in mathematics-writing tasks. Most available research on mathematics writing focuses on typically achieving students without considering students with mathematics difficulty (MD). In this study, we…

In mathematics, the expectation to set up and solve word problems emerges as early as kindergarten; however, many students who experience mathematics difficulty (MD) and dual-language learners often present with specific challenges in this area. To investigate why these populations experience word-problem difficulty, we examined the word, problem…

In mathematics, the expectation to set up and solve word problems emerges as early as kindergarten; however, many students who experience mathematics difficulty (MD) and dual-language learners often present with specific challenges in this area. To investigate why these populations experience word-problem difficulty, we examined the word, problem…

Some elementary students may exhibit challenging externalizing or internalizing behaviors in addition to difficulty with mathematics. In this study, we explored the behavioral patterns of 441 third-grade students with and without mathematics difficulty (MD). Compared with students without MD, students with MD demonstrated higher rates of…

Some elementary students may exhibit challenging externalizing or internalizing behaviors in addition to difficulty with mathematics. In this study, we explored the behavioral patterns of 441 3rd-grade students with and without mathematics difficulty (MD). Compared to students without MD, students with MD demonstrated higher rates of externalizing…

As students enter the upper elementary grades, word problems become a main component of mathematics instruction, increasing in complexity as students advance through the curriculum. For students identified as emergent bilinguals with mathematics difficulty (MD), the linguistic complexity inherent in word problems may serve as a barrier to…

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of the Conceptual Model-based Problem-Solving intervention program (COMPS) along with instructional scaffolds to enhance the performance of English learners (ELs) with learning difficulties in mathematics (LDM) to solve word problems. The participants were three third-grade ELs with…

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether positive results from a word-problem intervention implemented one-to-one contributed to similar outcomes when implemented in small groups of three to four students. Third-grade students experiencing mathematics difficulty (n = 76) were randomly assigned to word-problem intervention (n = 56)…