The Role of Pre-Algebraic Reasoning within a Word-Problem Intervention for Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulty
Powell, Sarah R.; Berry, Katherine A.; Barnes, Marcia A. (2019). Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED598469
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examining138Students, grade3
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: July 2022
- Single Study Review (findings for Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Researcher-developed double-digit word problems composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Aggregated sample: (PMEQ + PM alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
24.74 |
11.42 |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
Researcher-developed nonstandard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Aggregated sample: (PMEQ + PM alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
9.53 |
7.42 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed equal sign tasks |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Aggregated sample: (PMEQ + PM alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
8.74 |
7.85 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed standard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Aggregated sample: (PMEQ + PM alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
5.31 |
4.91 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Researcher-developed double-digit word problems composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
26.12 |
11.42 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Researcher-developed double-digit word problems composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
23.51 |
11.42 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Researcher-developed equal sign tasks |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Pirate Math |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone);
|
10.43 |
7.24 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Researcher-developed equal sign tasks |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
10.43 |
7.85 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Researcher-developed nonstandard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
10.48 |
7.42 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Researcher-developed nonstandard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Pirate Math |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone);
|
10.48 |
8.69 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed standard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
5.67 |
4.91 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed double-digit word problems composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Pirate Math |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone);
|
26.12 |
23.51 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed nonstandard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
8.69 |
7.42 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed standard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
4.90 |
4.91 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed equal sign tasks |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone) vs. Business-as-usual;
|
7.24 |
7.85 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Researcher-developed standard equation solving composite |
Pirate Math with and without Equation Quest (PMEQ and PM) vs. Pirate Math |
0 Days |
Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ) vs. Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone);
|
4.90 |
5.67 |
No |
-- | ||
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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62% English language learners -
Female: 57%
Male: 43% -
Urban
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Race Asian 2% Black 9% Other or unknown 81% White 8% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 75% Not Hispanic or Latino 25% -
Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Other or unknown 100%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in 13 elementary schools in a large urban school district in the southwestern United States.
Study sample
The researchers randomly assigned 145 students to one of three conditions: Pirate Math Equation Quest (PMEQ; 45 students), Pirate Math without Equation Quest (PM-alone; 46 students), or usual instruction without Pirate Math (54 students). A total of 138 students in grade 3 were included in the study. The 138 students were taught by 37 teachers in 13 elementary schools. There were 15 tutors who provided the intervention to students individually. Approximately 57% of the students were female, and 62% were English learners. Three-quarters were Hispanic or Latino; 9% were non-Hispanic Black, 8% were non-Hispanic White, 2% were non-Hispanic Asian, and 6% did not report race.
Intervention Group
Pirate Math is a program designed to improve student’s success answering math-focused word-problems in elementary school. Students in the program participate in five types of pirate-themed activities: (1) Math Fact Flashcards, (2) Equation Quest (for PMEQ students) or Pirate Crunch (for PM-alone students); (3) Buccaneer Problems; (4) Shipshape Sorting; and (5) Jolly Roger Review. The study considered two slightly different versions of the intervention. Students in PMEQ participated in the Equation Quest activity, which is an activity focused on pre-algebraic reasoning instruction on solving equations and the meaning of the equal sign. Students in the PM-alone group did not participate in the Equation Quest activity and instead completed the Pirate Crunch activity that included concepts of telling time, geometry, and fractions. There were 15 tutors who worked with students in the PMEQ and PM-alone conditions individually, in a quiet place outside of the classroom, three times per week for 30 minutes per session. The study aimed to complete 48 to 51 intervention sessions, but in practice, on average, students completed about 47 sessions. The authors considered students who completed at least 45 sessions as completing the intervention.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison group received business-as-usual grade 3 mathematics instruction.
Support for implementation
The research team recruited 15 tutors to provide the intervention and collect study data. Tutors received training on administering the study testing as well as four trainings throughout the school year (90 minutes each) on providing the intervention.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
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Study findings for this report.
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