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There is a significant need for easy-to-implement interventions in the early grades, especially in mathematics, as many children have difficulties in their first years of school with automated basic math facts recall and, therefore, fall behind. Automation of single-digit multiplication tasks represents an important developmental step, as it can neither be accomplished by finger counting nor can more complex operations be mastered without it. Previous research has supported math racetracks as an effective intervention for increasing early math skills of elementary school students. The present study sought to replicate previous findings on the positive effect of a racetrack intervention extended by a multicomponent motivational treatment. Further, we tried to closely comply with the single-case reporting guidelines by Tate et al. (2012) for the purpose of establishing racetracks as evidence-based treatment and continue the work of Lund et al. (2012), Walker et al. (2012), Skarr et al. (2014), and Rivera et al. (2014). Four female elementary-school third graders who faced problems with basic math facts received 9-10 individual training sessions over 7 weeks. Visual analysis of results indicates a level increase in multiplication facts solved correctly from baseline to intervention for all four participants, with an average MBD of 410.45 (range 136.45 to 833.33). Limitations and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Derived math fact fluency becomes more imperative across all mathematical content areas during a students’ mathematics development. However, many of them struggle to automate the most basic math facts sufficiently and therefore are not able to deal with more complex mathematical problems. This leads to the fact that many of them are already left behind in the early years of their school careers whether they have diagnosed learning disabilities or not. In this single-case research project, we evaluated a peer-tutoring approach designed to extend the number of automated single-digit addition tasks for four struggling elementary students through a multicomponent motivational system including immediate correction of errors, graphical feedback on performance, positive reinforcement, direct instruction flashcards, and a racetrack game. A multiple-baseline design (ABE) across subjects was applied to assess the effects of the treatment. The results indicate significant and large effects of the intervention on the number of automated math facts for the participants. This substantiates the assumption that the math-fact recall performance of struggling students can be improved through the method of peer tutoring even with the limited resources available in everyday school life.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a typical third-grade boy and fifth-grade girl and a boy with learning disabilities could benefit from the combined use of Direct Instruction (DI) flashcard and math racetrack procedures in an after-school program. The dependent variable was accuracy and fluency of saying basic multiplication facts. A single subject multiple baseline design across three sets of facts showed a clear functional relationship between the DI flashcard combined with the math racetrack procedures and increased mastery of multiplication facts. By the end of the study, each participant mastered all target math facts. Additionally, all three participants correctly generalized from oral to written without instruction on written math facts. Also, the students' confidence in math seemed to grow as their mastery increased. The procedure was cost effective and required little training to implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the DI Flashcard system for teaching preliminary mathematic skills to three preschool students. The participants attended a self-contained special education preschool. All three participants' eligibility category was 'developmentally delayed'. A concurrent multiple baseline design across three sets (colors, shapes, and numerals) was use to evaluate the effectiveness of the DI flashcard system. The results indicated that all three participants showed an increase in their performance when DI flashcards were in effect. However, the amount of improvement varied for each participant. The importance of employing evidence-based procedures to teach skills to preschool students with developmental delays was outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate a Direct Instruction (DI) flashcard system as well as the reading racetrack, to teach sight word acquisition to two elementary students diagnosed with autism. A multiple baseline design was used across word sets with each student to evaluate the effectiveness of the combined flashcard and reading racetrack procedures. Due to the limitations of one of our participants, an ipad application called,' Proloquo2Go™ 'was also employed. A functional relationship was demonstrated between the use of these strategies and the reading of sight words for both participants. The study showed that DI flashcards and the reading racetrack can be an effective way to teach students with autism sight words. Both staff and students enjoyed the interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess effectiveness of the Direct Instruction (DI) flashcard system in improving the sight word knowledge of three middle school boys with intellectual disabilities in a designed instruction classroom setting. Each participant was presented with three sets of 20 sight words and a multiple baseline, single-subject design was used to measure student progress. In addition, a passage reading probe was used to assess the ability of participants to utilize sight word knowledge within passage context. Overall results indicated a large increase in isolated sight word knowledge for all three participants following the implementation of DI Flashcard instruction. In addition, the passage reading data indicated a decreased likelihood that participants would inaccurately read their individual sight words in passage context. The issues related to employing flashcards in literacy instruction were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Derived math fact fluency becomes more imperative across all mathematical content areas during a students' mathematics development. However, many of them struggle to automate the most basic math facts sufficiently and therefore are not able to deal with more complex mathematical problems. This leads to the fact that many of them are already left behind in the early years of their school careers whether they have diagnosed learning disabilities or not. In this single-case research project, we evaluated a peer-tutoring approach designed to extend the number of automated single-digit addition tasks for four struggling elementary students through a multicomponent motivational system including immediate correction of errors, graphical feedback on performance, positive reinforcement, direct instruction flashcards, and a racetrack game. A multiple-baseline design (ABE) across subjects was applied to assess the effects of the treatment. The results indicate significant and large effects of the intervention on the number of automated math facts for the participants. This substantiates the assumption that the math-fact recall performance of struggling students can be improved through the method of peer tutoring even with the limited resources available in everyday school life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]