Enhancing First-Grade Students’ Addition-Fact Fluency Using Classwide Cover, Copy, and Compare, a Sprint, and Group Rewards

Abstract

The authors used a multiple-probe, across-tasks design to evaluate the effects of a classwide, multicomponent intervention on first-grade students’ addition-fact fluency. Intervention components included “cover, copy, and compare,” a 2-min math sprint, and a weekly group reward. Results showed that classwide digits correct per minute averages increased with the staggered introduction of the intervention across problem sets. Baseline phase averages for probe sets A, B, and C were 11.5, 14.3, and 14.3 digits correct per minute and increased to 17.3, 22.7, and 24.4 digits correct per minute during the intervention phase. Discussion focuses on future research related to the classwide academic skill prevention procedures and supplemental procedures designed to enhance intervention effectiveness across contexts.

KEYWORDS:

• math facts
• fluency
• classwide intervention
• cover
• copy, and compare
• group rewards

Notes

1. Fluency often refers to rapid, accurate, and low-effort responding across a similar class of stimuli. For example, fluent readers can read a series of different words (e.g., a fourth-grade passage) aloud, both rapidly and accurately. Automaticity is used to describe the same type of responding, but to a discrete stimulus (see Hasselbring, Goin, & Bransford, 1987). Thus, a student could respond automatically to the stimulus 5 + 2 = ______, but require more time and effort to respond accurately to the stimulus 6 + 7 = ______.