The Effect of Computer-Assisted Conceptual Model-Based Intervention Program on Mathematics Problem-Solving Performance of At-Risk English Learners^*

Abstract

According to Every Student Succeeds Act, schools are accountable for the improvement of all children; including those with disabilities or difficulties, recently arrived English language learners (ELs) as well as long-term ELs, and all students for whom English is not their native language. To meet the accountability requirements, it is essential to provide both linguistic scaffolds and content-specific interventions to address these students’ achievement gaps in mathematics. Using a single-subject design, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of computer-assisted Conceptual Model-based Problem Solving (COMPS) tutor on additive word problem-solving performance of ELs with learning difficulties in mathematics. Findings indicate that all four participants improved their performance on researcher-developed criterion test as well as a generalization test following the intervention. It seems that features such as conceptual model-based visual scaffolding and linguistic scaffolding found in the COMPS tutor, may have contributed to students’ access to learning mathematics and the positive outcome of this study.

Acknowledgments

The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation. The authors would like to thank the administrators, teachers, and staff at Lafayette School Corporation, as well as Yian Li, Emma Stricker, Weiran Ma, Wenjie Wu, Zheng Zhao, Dr. Dongming Zhang, and many others who facilitated this study.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, under [grant #1503451]. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.