Using Brief Assessments to Select Math Fluency and On-task Behavior Interventions: An Investigation of Treatment Utility

• Published in: Education & treatment of children Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 167 - 181
• Main Authors: Gilbertson, Donna, Witt, Joseph C., Duhon, Gary, Dufrene, Brad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York West Virginia University Press 01.05.2008; Springer
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic improvement; Behavior; Behavior Modification; Behavior Problems; Behaviour problems; Children & youth; Company business management; Educational aspects; Educational Strategies; Elementary School Students; Evaluation; EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES; Federal Legislation; General Education; Grade 1; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; Intervention; Intervention (Psychology); Mathematical aptitude; Mathematical intervals; Mathematical problems; Mathematics; Mathematics Achievement; Mathematics Education; Methods; No Child Left Behind Act 2001; Rewards; Skill Development; Special education; Student Evaluation; Student evaluation of teacher performance; Studies; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Time on Task; Urban Schools; United States
• ISSN: 0748-8491; 1934-8924; 1934-8924
• DOI: 10.1353/etc.0.0023

This study examined the utility of a brief assessment approach for identifying a potentially effective intervention to improve math performance and ontask behavior. Participants included four elementary students referred for intervention services in the general education classroom. A brief individual assessment was conducted with each participant to compare the relative effects of incentives (reward) and instruction on math fluency. For all four students, reward plus instruction resulted in elevated performance compared to reward alone. Following the brief assessment, the effects of intervention that included both rewards and instruction was evaluated using a multiple baseline design across subjects. In all four cases, improvement was observed in math fluency and on-task behavior with intervention on a moderate difficulty (instructional) level task. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of a brief assessment approach for identifying effective interventions for individuals struggling to achieve academic and behavioral success in regular education classrooms.