Variations on a classwide math fact intervention: The role of set size and goal setting with explicit timing

Abstract

Explicit Timing (ET) is an established intervention to support math fact fluency. The current study explored how goal setting and set size moderated the base ET intervention to promote multiplication fact fluency with third grade students. We also explored how learners at different levels of initial fluency responded to intervention. Findings suggest that ET was effective in promoting math fact fluency across learners who began intervention at varied performance levels, with average gains of over 15 digits correct per minute across 12 sessions of intervention over one month. Goal setting further improved the intervention. Results did not significantly differ across set sizes, nor across initial performance level. Overall, all investigated conditions led to efficient growth. Resources for classroom implementation are provided.

Keywords:

• Math intervention
• fluency
• classwide
• explicit timing
• set size
• goal setting

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 ET can be used beyond basic operations, and brief measures of fluency like those often substituted for intervention worksheets have been shown reliable for advanced math skills (e.g. decimals; least common denominator; percentages; Solomon et al., 2022).

2 https://brianponcy.wixsite.com/mind.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexandra Payne

Alexandra Payne earned her PsyD in school psychology from the University at Albany, SUNY and is now a practicing school psychologist. Her current research interests include academic assessment and intervention, along with decision-making processes within a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework.

Benjamin G. Solomon

Benjamin G. Solomon is an associate professor of school psychology at the University at Albany, State University of New York. His research interests include curriculum-based measurement, academic intervention, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, and experimental methods and statistics.

Alexander Silva

Alexander Silva is a practicing school psychologist at Union-Endicott Central School District. His professional interests include academic and behavioral interventions, multi-tiered system of supports, supporting diverse students, and educational policy and decision-making.

Erika Korzeniewski

Erika Korzeniewski is a school psychologist and recent graduate with her Psy. D. in school psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York. Her current research interests include skill by treatment interactions, academic intervention, and Multi-tiered Systems of Support.

Brian C. Poncy

Brian C. Poncy is a professor at Oklahoma State University. His research interests are in behavioral learning theory, academic intervention to increase student outcomes, and the assessment of basic academic skills to support data-based problem solving.