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…

English learner (EL) students are a heterogeneous group with unique needs and the challenges of acquiring a new language while also learning grade-level academic content. Math word problems pose a challenge for some EL students who are at risk for math disabilities. This study, conducted by myself and H. Lee Swanson, used a single-case research…

Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is an increasingly studied disorder that has been linked to negative neuropsychiatric outcomes, with the most frequently cited consequence being rapid onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Little is known, however, about the educational impacts of this disorder on school-aged children. This…

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…

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…

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 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…

The purpose of this study was to explore the paths by which word-problem intervention, with versus without embedded prealgebraic reasoning instruction, improved word-problem performance. Students with mathematics difficulty (MD; n = 304) were randomly assigned to a business-as-usual condition or 1 of 2 variants of word-problem intervention. The…

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…