Describes the development of a mathematics profile to assess students in terms of intended outcomes. Ideas incorporated into the profile include determining what counts as progress; justifying the curriculum in terms of expected outcome rather than teaching specific curricula; and basing judgments about the success of the system, school, and…

Examines the reading and mathematics growth of 180 children over four points, spanning 2nd and 3rd grades. Results reveal that the mathematics difficulty-only (MD) group grew at a faster rate in mathematics than did the mathematics difficulty-reading difficulty (MD-RD) group. In reading, the reading difficulty-only and MD-RD groups grew at about…

Used data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to look at student, classroom, and school factors influencing mathematics achievement in Australia and the United States. Found that classroom differences account for about one-third of the variation in student achievement in the United States and over one-quarter in…

Results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and other measures of achievement show that the achievement of Danish students is below the international TIMSS average when considered by age, but above the TIMSS average when considered by grade. Discusses results in the context of the later entrance to school in Denmark…

Assessed effects of the choice of achievement standards on mathematics performance among 201 students evenly divided by sex and school level (elementary, junior high, and high) in conditions where they chose standards, had standards imposed, and had no standards. Results showed that choice of standards led to increased mathematical performance in…

Describes and presents examples of external and internal characteristics of learning environments that may help students' achievement and interest in mathematics. External characteristics include time, space, and support while internal characteristics include teachers' habits of mind. (MKR)

Underprepared college freshmen (212 in control group; 178 in experimental group) were monitored through 1 year of college mathematics in a study that showed cooperative learning and problem solving had a significant effect on mathematical success. An appendix contains sample problems. (MKR)

Investigated the relationships among Hackett's suggested variables of mathematics and career self-efficacy, perceived external support, mathematics background, and mathematics performance among male and female students selecting mathematics-based college majors. Self-efficacy beliefs, mathematics ability, mathematics anxiety, and level of support…

Describes methods to evaluate the nature and types of math learning disabilities. Describes techniques, beginning with those geared toward children at precomputational level. Details methods for teaching whole number operations, place value, and part-to-whole relationships. (Author/JDM)

Analyzed the mathematics achievement of immigrant children in the United States, Canada, England, Australia, and New Zealand using data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. Immigrant students' mathematics achievement was lower than others only in England, the United States, and Canada. Non-English language background was…

Investigates and compares the effects of explicit timing on mathematics problem completion rates in African American (n=68) and Caucasian (n=18) second-grade students. Results show that both African American and Caucasian second grade students increased their problem completion rates. No significant cross-group differences were found. Discussion…

Simplistic and misleading statements seriously distort what the Third International Mathematics and Science Study actually says about American 12th-graders' performance. Physics and advanced mathematics scores are beyond redemption. However, if the math and science literacy were accurately calculated, factoring in appropriate variables, the United…

Argues that deaf children lag behind their hearing cohorts in mathematics achievement tests and that this difficulty is a consequence of their lack of covert counting strategies and reliance on memorized verbal facts. Investigates the acquisition of an alternative method by deaf students (N=6). Recommends examining better ways to teach arithmetic…

Eighty college students taught to perform in NewAbacus, a new number system, were asked to rate the degree to which they believed their problem solutions were accurate. Results indicate that students believed in their errors more than was realistically warranted. The question of student overconfidence is explored. (SLD)

Considers traditional ways in which attempts have been made to help students become fluent in mathematics and offers a model for ways in which fluency can be achieved with a more economic use of students' time and effort than through traditional models of exercises based on repetition. (MKR)