Investigation of Instructional Approaches to Elementary Math

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Student Math Achievement

• Registration Number: NCT02456181
• Lead Sponsor: The Hospital for Sick Children

Brief Summary

The overall aim of the proposed project is to test the efficacy of a relatively new, well-developed math program on the math achievement of elementary school students in mainstream classes in urban schools. Use of this program is increasing in Canada and the United Kingdom. Preliminary findings derived from uncontrolled trials and our own pilot, randomized controlled trial suggest it may yield meaningful gains in math achievement for both at-risk and achieving students, as indexed by their performance on national exams, in national math competitions, as well as on standardized measures of math achievement. However, the program has yet to be rigorously evaluated to determine its relative efficacy compared to the math programs typically used by school boards. The program provision of grade-specific teacher's guides and student workbooks (for grades 1 to 8), and minimal teacher training, points to its potential utility for full-scale implementation, should its efficacy be confirmed.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2012-03
• Primary Completion: 2014-08
• Study First Submitted: 2015-05-25
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-05-27
• Study First Posted: 2015-05-28
• Status Verified: 2016-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-10-24
• Last Update Posted: 2016-10-25
• Study Completion: 2017-03

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1156

Inclusion Criteria

• The students must: have sufficient command of English to understand their teacher's instructions (as judged by their teacher, ELL students will be included provided they meet this criterion). They must have a signed parental consent form and also assent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

• The students must have no uncorrected sensory, neurological, or physical impairments that would preclude the use of manipulatives, perceiving written math materials and figures, or hearing the teacher's instructions.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The change scores on the Math Fluency, Calculation, and Applied Problems sub scales from a standardized battery (WJ-III) and on a curriculum based math measure, as well as on the results from a regional math assessment test.	Fall and Spring of School Years 1 and 2 Years

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

SickKids; 🇨🇦 Toronto, Ontario, Canada