Data from a longitudinal survey of mathematically precocious 13-year olds (n=1,247) were used to test 5 factors (quality and quantity of instruction, home environment, motivation, and ability) for their ability to predict educational achievement and educational and career aspirations. Students were followed until age 23. (SM)

Study examined the ways 117 low-socioeconomic third graders interacted during acquisition of new mathematical skills. The effects of cooperative-mastery-learning (CML) strategies on their mathematics achievement were investigated. Two experiments indicated that students exposed to CML performed better than those given more traditional instruction.…

Middle school students' (n=200) solutions to division-with-remainder story problems and their attempts to make sense of their answers were analyzed for evidence that supported or refuted hypothesized semantic-processing models. The models helped explain students' failure to solve these problems in school settings. (Contains 17 references.)…

Outlines main issues of concern in teaching and learning mathematics in Australia's multilingual classrooms. The main barrier to success in mathematics is lack of proficiency in English. Classroom strategies are suggested for language development in mathematics. Acquiring adequate proficiency in English can be achieved without sacrificing the…

Studied the relative weight of personal, social, and cultural variables that explain gender differences in mathematics learning in different sectors of Israeli society. Results from 106 Jewish and 105 Arab high school students show the higher perceived achievement and mathematics self-confidence of the Arab girls. Explores reasons for the…

Reviews existing theoretical perspective on how single-parent families and stepfamilies affect student achievement by examining math and reading achievement scores. Results show that schools predominated by students from single-parent families and stepfamilies negatively affect student's achievement. These negative effects are countervailed when…

Focuses on the performance of South African 12th graders on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), exploring the relationship between student background and mathematics literacy. Teacher data and school background data were not available, but findings show that the most significant performance factors were home language,…

A fourth-grade teacher examined what would happen to black students' math performance when they worked with partners they selected. Using cognitively guided math principles, she observed students and adapted her teaching methods, then surveyed the students. The paper explains why and how this partnering was successful. (SM)

Examined gender differences in the mathematics performance of high-achieving fourth and sixth graders, noting the effects of ethnicity. Scores from 1996 California Achievement Tests indicated that students in both grades showed significant gender differences. There were no interaction effects of gender by ethnicity. There were inconsistent racial…

Low achievement of state mathematics standards caused a rural Illinois school district to realize that repeated coverage of lower-level material blocked student progress. Subsequently, elementary teachers learned new ways to teach math, and secondary teachers replaced practical math with algebra courses. Students achieved new levels of math…

This paper describes how a university outreach program promotes academic achievement and identity development among culturally diverse tenth-grade students. The primary goal of the outreach program is to advance students' engagement and competency in mathematics and science learning. A secondary goal of the program is to promote the development of…

Out of the 38 nations studied in the 1999 "Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study" (TIMSS), children in Singapore scored highest in mathematics (National Center for Education Statistics, NCES, 2003). Why do Singapore's children do so well in mathematics? The reasons are undoubtedly complex and involve social aspects.…

Dramatic changes are occurring in the teaching and learning of mathematics in the nation's classrooms. It is no longer sufficient to be proficient in basic skills; students are now expected to develop deep conceptual understanding of a broad range of mathematical content areas. While there has been an increased focus on the need for equal…

The present study examines the effects of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on the mathematics performance and classroom behavior of three second-through fourth-grade students with ADHD. A controlled case study is used to evaluate the effects of the computer software on participants' mathematics performance and on-task behavior. Participants'…

Math in a Cultural Context (MCC) is based in traditional Yup'ik cultural values and ways of knowing and representing the world, which provide access to math concepts through hands-on exploration and active problem solving. This case illustrates how a novice and outsider teacher successfully implemented MCC in a classroom with predominantly…