Category Archives: Treatment

The Lasting Impact of Math Manipulatives in Early Childhood Education

Posted on by

Many adults might not realize that young children first understand mathematical ideas through physical actions and concrete experiences, not abstract symbols. Manipulatives are grounded in learning theory, particularly Bruner’s (1966) framework of enactive (physical), iconic (visual), and symbolic (abstract) representations. This progression is essential: children manipulate objects, see and create patterns, and later connect these experiences to formal symbols and procedures (Bruner, 1966; Gravemeijer, 1999). Manipulatives serve as a bridge, making abstract concepts tangible and accessible.

Read the research overview HERE

Educational Robotics and Game-Based Interventions for Overcoming Dyscalculia: A Pilot Study

Posted on by

Recent studies suggest that educational robotics and game-based learning can provide engaging and adaptive learning environments, enhancing numerical cognition and motivation in students with mathematical difficulties. The intervention was designed to improve calculation skills, problem-solving strategies, and overall engagement in mathematics. The study involved 73 secondary students, divided into three classes, among whom only a specific group had been diagnosed with dyscalculia. Data were collected through pre- and post-intervention assessment evaluating improvements in numerical accuracy, processing speed, and support motivation. Preliminary findings indicate that robotics and gamification create an interactive, less anxiety-inducing learning experience, facilitating conceptual understanding and retention of mathematical concepts. The results suggest that these tools hold promise as supplementary interventions for children with dyscalculia. Future research should explore long-term effects, optimal implementation strategies, and their integration within formal educational settings.

Read all about this study HERE

The Building Blocks of Math That Young Students Need to Excel — But Aren’t Always Getting

Posted on by

Many American students struggle in math. According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, nearly 1 in 4 fourth graders and 39 percent of eighth graders scored “below basic,” the test’s lowest category. An analysis of state tests shows that few states have recovered students from pandemic math losses, with disadvantaged students from low-income neighborhoods hit especially hard. For those struggling students — including those diagnosed with dyscalculia and related learning challenges — lack of number sense often plays a significant role. “For kids that have a fundamental weakness in mathematics, 80 percent or 90 percent of the time that’s going to be linked to a lack of understanding numbers,” said Ben Clarke, an early math researcher and department head of special education and clinical sciences at the University of Oregon. “If we want students to be able to access other pieces of mathematics that are really important, then they need to build this foundational understanding of numbers

Read the original article HERE

6 ways to improve interventions for specific learning difficulties

Posted on by

There is plenty of research around SLD – such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia – but teachers and schools need to be involved in the development of new approaches, says Gillian Stirton

A motivated corps of experts, developers, entrepreneurs and others create ways to combat the difficulties and downstream disadvantages that come with SLD such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia, or combinations of these.

Read the full article HERE

Improving student attendance

Posted on by

Since the pandemic, chronic absenteeism has loomed large. Educators are seeking strategies and partners who can help tackle it. Well, getting kids back to school is one place where it’s long struck me that professional sports franchises could make a big difference. After all, professional athletes live daily with a show-up-early, work-hard routine. Indeed, of the teen and tween role models—like actors, social media influencers, and singers—athletes may be the ones with the most obvious ties to schools, colleges, and a grind-it-out ethos. The Cleveland Browns have spent a decade partnering with Ohio schools to improve attendance and launched the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network in 2019

Read all about this great program HERE