Effects of a Contextualized Instructional Package on the Mathematics Performance of Secondary Students with EBD

Abstract

This article describes a single-subject study of the effects of a contextualized instructional package on the area and perimeter performance of middle school students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The instructional package included area and perimeter problem-solving activities embedded in contextualized, or real-life, scenarios; use of manipulative techniques to reinforce concepts; and a self-monitoring component, a critical behavior management component to instructional interventions for students with EBD. Results indicated that the instructional package was effective for improving area and perimeter performance among the participants; transfer and maintenance results were mixed.

A Meta-Analysis Examining the Evidence-Base of Mathematical Interventions for Students With Emotional Disturbances

“…The average PND was 91.5 indicating the included math interventions were effective in increasing mathematic performance. The PND from all included studies ranged from 75% (Peltier & Vannest, 2017; Skinner, Turco, Beatty, & Rasavage, 1989) to 100% (Brasch, Williams, & McLaughlin, 2008; Cade & Gunter, 2002; Cieslar et al, 2008; Davis & Hajicek, 1985; Jolivette et al, 1999; Mulcahy & Krezmien, 2009; Skinner, Ford, & Yunker, 1991), all above the suggested threshold of 70% used to identify effective interventions.…”

“…Many of these strategies have proven utility with other populations of students with disabilities and utilize effective intervention methods, including interventions that are teacher mediated, peer meditated, and student mediated. For example, two studies looked at the effect of direct instruction, a teacher-mediated intervention, to teach both number sense (Brasch et al, 2008) and geometry and measurement (Mulcahy & Krezmien, 2009). Direct instruction has been widely researched for students with a range of disabilities, and has demonstrated utility for mathematics instruction (Przychodzin, Marchad-Martella, Martella, & Azim, 2004).…”

A Meta-Analysis of Schema Instruction Implemented in Single-Case Experimental Designs

“…Alter, Brown, and Pyle (2011) taught specific strategies (i.e., guess and check, draw a picture, make a table or chart) and reported improvements from baseline; however, performance was roughly 50% correct. Mulcahy and Krezmien (2009) implemented an intervention that included constructivist methods to solve real-life problems using manipulatives and self-monitoring of behavior. All students improved in immediate PS; however, maintenance and transfer PS had mixed results.…”

Self-Recording of Productivity: How Intermittent and Summative Procedures Affect Reactivity

“…The intervention affected student academic performance as well as engagement. Similarly, Mulcahy and Krezmien (2009) taught students to record the number of math problems completed in total during a set interval, as well as the number of those problems that the students answered correctly. To test the effects of selfrecording on social skills, Deitchman et al, (2010) taught students with autism to record the number of appropriate social initiations witnessed during video feedback and they found that the procedure yielded increases in appropriate social behavior.…”

“…In addition, the effects of self-recording on other student outcome variables, such as accuracy (Knapczyk & Livingston, 1974;Merriman & Codding;Mulcahy & Krezmien, 2009) and social behavior (Kirby et al, 1991), have been examined with positive results. Bruce, Lloyd, and Kennedy (2012) in a review of studies comparing the targets of selfmonitoring interventions (attention and productivity), categorized productivity procedures into two distinct categories: summary production and intermittent production.…”