Teachers' Preferences for Academic Intervention Strategies in Mathematics: Implications for Instructional Consultation

Abstract

Primary school teachers were surveyed to investigate the preferences for three approaches to academic intervention when assisting students experiencing difficulty in mathematics. Sixty-two primary school teachers were presented with descriptions of two students experiencing difficulty on either a basic subtraction skills problem or an application skills problem involving money; For each problem, teachers rated their preferences for three instructional intervention approaches (cognitive, behavioral, and cooperative learning) as recommended by a school consultant. Results indicated significant differences between the more preferred cognitive and cooperative learning approaches and the less preferred behavioral approach, regardless of the problem type. Recognizing teacher preferences can enhance consultative compatibility between consultants and teachers and facilitate collaborative problem solving, particularly when developing academic interventions. Implications for instructional consultation with teachers are discussed.