Browsing by Subject "Middle school education"

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The effects of schema-based intervention on the mathematical word problem solving skills of middle school students with learning disabilities
(2009-08) Na, Kyong-Eun; Bryant, Diane Pedrotty
A schema-based instruction allows students to approach a mathematics problem by focusing on the underlying semantic or problem structure, thus facilitating conceptual understanding and adequate skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of schema-based intervention on the mathematical word problem solving skills of middle school students with learning disabilities in grades 6 and 7. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design was used for the study. Four middle school students with learning disabilities participated in pre-experimental (i.e., introduction, screening test, and Mathematics Interest Inventory sessions) and experimental (i.e., baseline, intervention, post-intervention test with generalization test, and maintenance test) sessions over a 13-week period. Participants were randomly assigned to a priori baseline durations (i.e., 6, 9, 12, 17 days) (Watson & Workman, 1981). During the intervention phase, students received 12 sessions of individual 30-35 minute schema-based intervention for 6 days (i.e., 2 sessions per day). Students participated in guided and independent practice and were encouraged to ask questions as they worked to master the material taught in each intervention session. During the postintervention phase, the four students’ accuracy performance was evaluated by six untimed achievement or generalization tests. The achievement and generalization tests contained a total of 10 one-step multiplication and division word problems. All of the students achieved scores greater than a pre-determined criterion level of 70% accuracy on the six consecutive tests. Two weeks after termination of the post intervention phase, each student’s accuracy performance on the achievement and generalization tests was examined during the follow-up maintenance phase. Findings revealed that the four students’ performance substantially improved after they received the intervention. All four students achieved scores that exceeded the criterion level (70% accuracy) on the achievement tests during the post intervention phase. These findings provide empirical evidence that schema-based intervention is effective in teaching middle school students with learning disabilities to solve multiplication and division word problems. Limitations of the research and implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Middle-school children's perceptions and motivation regarding work and their future : simple or complex? optimistic or realistic?
(2001-08) Ripke, Marika N., 1972-; Huston, Aletha C.
The primary purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of middle-school children’s perceptions and motivation regarding their future. The results suggest that children think rather extensively about their future at this age, and in more complex ways than previously theorized. Children in this study were able to clearly articulate their goals for the future. The importance of a good job and financial security was a common theme in their responses. The majority of children did not believe they could attain any job they wanted in America, but instead understood there to be limits to what they could achieve, attributing these limits primarily to stable and uncontrollable characteristics. Children had a basic understanding of the duties and requirements for their desired jobs, and most felt they were currently preparing for these jobs. Children’s perceptions of limits and opportunity in America, and the extent of their knowledge and preparation for their desired job, predicted their confidence in attaining their occupational goals. Differences by gender and ethnic group were revealed, though the influence of ethnic group was less prominent than expected.