The Effects of Instructional Consistency: Using Manipulatives and Teaching Strategies to Support Resource Room Mathematics Instruction.

Abstract

The benefits of multisensory instruction for teaching mathematics to students in resource rooms were explored. Participants were third and fourth graders (n  = 12) in 3 resource rooms for replacement mathematics in a middle-class school district in New Jersey. The students received weekly instruction for several months, using manipulatives and word problem solving strategies with their on-going math replacement instruction. Error analyses were conducted on an ongoing basis with immediate corrective feedback given. Pre-post results indicated support for the hypothesis that performance increases through the use of multisensory materials and strategies. In particular, increases were observed in the use of base ten blocks, strategies for problem solving, and an overall improvement in calculation performance. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of consistent use of manipulatives and strategies in the resource classes.