Although previous research has demonstrated that the acquisition of mathematical skills requires support from multiple cognitive abilities, the associations between cognitive precursors in different domains and mathematics at different hierarchical levels among primary school children are not well understood. This study explores the cognitive…

Through a constructivist teaching experiment, we studied how a 6th-grade student (Adam, pseudonym) struggling in mathematics may reorganize his available additive scheme (count-up-to) into a more advanced scheme involving the decomposition of composite units (break-apart-make-ten, or BAMT). First, we posed a task that led us to infer Adam was yet…

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…

Students encounter hundreds of word problems throughout the elementary grades and on standardized assessments through high school. To demonstrate proficiency on these measures of mathematics competency, students must be skilled in solving word problems. Early detection of word-problem difficulty is essential, and screeners play an important role…

The research examined the calculation methods used by pupils in Grades 3-6 when they were presented with problems that could be worked out efficiently and flexibly by applying number sense. The study was conducted with a convenience sample of 179 pupils between the ages 7 years and 10 months to 12 years and 10 months. in mainstream education in…

Children with mathematical difficulties need to spend more time than typically achieving children on solving even simple equations. Since these tasks already require a larger share of their cognitive resources, additional demands imposed by the need to switch between tasks may lead to a greater decline of performance in children with mathematical…

There is a growing awareness that many children are not developing fast and accurate retrieval-based strategies for solving single-digit addition problems. In this study we individually assessed 166 third and fourth grade children to identify a group of children (called accurate-min-counters) who frequently solved simple single-digit addition…

The purpose of this study is to electrophysiologically assess the effect of an individualized education program supported with musical activities on the success of primary school students with computational difficulties. A mixed-methods design consisting of qualitative and quantitative methods was employed as the research model. The research group…

This manuscript presents a study in which the new version of the computer-based training programme, The Number Race (NR), was used as an intervention for mathematically low-performing children in grade one (M[subscript age] = 86.46, SD = 3.89). In addition to ordinary teacher instruction in mathematics, the intervention group (n = 29) received NR…

Despite the vast research on the early predictors of mathematics achievement, little research has investigated the predictors of various domains of mathematics (e.g., geometry, statistics). The purpose of the present study was to examine the predictive relation between first-grade early numeracy and computation skills and third-grade mathematics…

Mathematical difficulties have been distinguished as mathematics learning disability (MLD) and persistent low achievement (LA). Based on 1,880 Finnish children who were followed from kindergarten (age 6) to fourth grade, this study examined the early risk factors for MLD and LA. Distinct groups of MLD (6.0% of the sample) and LA (25.7%) children…

Though proficiency with computation is highly emphasized in national mathematics standards, students with mathematics difficulty (MD) continue to struggle with computation. To learn more about the differences in computation error patterns between typically achieving students and students with MD, we assessed 478 third-grade students on a measure…

Assessment data from the United States and international reports of student achievement indicate that upper elementary students are failing to meet basic levels of proficiency in fractions and writing, and that this is particularly prevalent with students with or at-risk for learning disabilities in mathematics. Proficiency with fractions has been…

Though proficiency with computation is highly emphasized in national mathematics standards, students with mathematics difficulty (MD) continue to struggle with computation. To learn more about the differences in computation error patterns between typically achieving students and students with MD, we assessed 478 3rd-grade students on a measure of…

The purpose of the study was to explore the cognitive profiles associated with inadequate responsiveness to fractions intervention on 3 fractions outcomes (calculations, ordering, and word problems). At the start of 3rd grade, 2 cohorts of students (N = 124) identified at the start of intervention as at-risk for mathematics difficulties were…