Do Components of Explicit Instruction Explain the Differential Effectiveness of a Core Mathematics Program for Kindergarten Students With Mathematics Difficulties - A Mediated Moderation Analysis

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mimi

A growing body of research suggests that effects of core mathematics instruction may vary across students’ mathematics skill levels. This study examined how specific components of explicit mathematics instruction explain why students’ initial mathematics achievement previously moderated the impact of an empirically validated kindergarten core program. Components analyzed included teacher demonstrations and explanations, group and individual practice opportunities, and teacher-delivered academic feedback. Results indicate that the facilitation rate for individual practice opportunities mediated the program’s differential effectiveness, informing differentiated practice for at-risk learners and classroom observation-based tests of mediating variables.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

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Abstract

Importance of Core Mathematics Instruction in Kindergarten

Differentiated Effects of Core Mathematics Instruction by Achievement Level

Do Components of Explicit Instruction Explain the Differential Effectiveness of a Core Mathematics Program for Kindergarten Students With Mathematics Difficulties? A Mediated Moderation Analysis Assessment for Effective Intervention 2019, Vol. 44(3) 197–211 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2018 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/1534508418758364](DOI: 10.1177/1534508418758364)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/1534508418758364)[aei.sagepub.com](aei.sagepub.com) Christian T. Doabler, PhD 1, Mike Stoolmiller, PhD2, Patrick C. Kennedy, PhD3, Nancy J. Nelson, PhD3, Ben Clarke, PhD3, Brian Gearin, MEd3, Hank Fien, PhD3, Keith Smolkowski, PhD4, and Scott K. Baker, PhD3,5 Abstract A growing body of research suggests that the effects of core mathematics instruction on student mathematics outcomes may not be uniform across different skill levels in mathematics. This study investigated the extent to which observed components of explicit mathematics instruction explained why students’ initial mathematics achievement was previously found to moderate the treatment impact of an empirically validated, core kindergarten mathematics program. Instructional components examined were as follows: (a) teacher demonstrations and explanations of mathematical concepts,(b) group and individual student practice opportunities, and (c) teacher-delivered academic feedback. Findings suggest that the rate in which teachers facilitated individual student practice opportunities during core mathematics instruction explained the program’s differential effectiveness. Implications in terms of differentiating practice opportunities for atrisk learners and utilizing classroom observation data to test potential mediating variables of academic interventions are discussed. Keywords mathematics difficulties, explicit mathematics instruction, student practice opportunities, direct observations, mediating variables, efficacy research Core (Tier 1) mathematics instruction plays a critical role in students’development of mathematics proficiency (Agodini & Harris, 2010) . At each grade level, core mathematics instruction represents the mathematics instruction that focuses on the range of mathematical standards students are expected to learn and know. This definition recognizes that core instruction takes place in general education settingsand is commonly delivered by teachers using commercially available core programs. A primary task of core mathematics instruction is to target the critical mathematics conceptsand skills considered essential for understanding more advanced mathematical topics. For example, in kindergarten, core mathematics instruction focuses on helping students build a deep and lasting understanding of foundational aspects of early number sense (Gersten et al., 2009; Sood & Jitendra, 2013) . Importance of Core Mathematics Instruction in Kindergarten At all grade levels, core mathematics instruction is essential for children’s mathematical learning. This is particularly true in kindergarten, when core mathematics instruction sets the trajectory for future growth in mathematics and thus 1 The University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA 2Michigan State University, Marquette, MI, USA 3University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA 4Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA 5Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA Corresponding Author: Christian T. Doabler, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, D5300 SZB 408B, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Email: [cdoabler@austin.utexas.edu](cdoabler@austin.utexas.edu) supports all students, including students at risk for mathematics difficulties (MD), in acquiring mathematical proficiency (Jordan, Kaplan, Ramineni, & Locuniak, 2009) . For many students, the core mathematics instruction provided in kindergarten represents their initial exposure to formal mathematics instruction. Therefore, it is res

FAQs

What question does the study investigate about explicit instruction?

The study investigates whether components of explicit mathematics instruction explain why initial mathematics achievement moderates the treatment impact of a core kindergarten mathematics program.

Which instructional components were examined?

Teacher demonstrations and explanations, group and individual student practice opportunities, and teacher-delivered academic feedback were examined as instructional components.

What did the findings show about differential effectiveness?

The rate at which teachers facilitated individual student practice opportunities during core mathematics instruction explained the program’s differential effectiveness.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mimi