Developing Fraction Sense in Students with Mathematics Learning Difficulties: From Research to Practice

Despite considerable investment in research in mathematical cognition and learning over the past decade, students with mathematics learning difficulties are losing ground. Fractions are a particular barrier for many of these learners. Devel-opment of evidence-based fraction interventions for students who are still struggling in middle school is essential to help prevent cascading difficulties, particularly when algebra becomes a primary focus. Addressing this need, our research team developed a fraction sense intervention (FSI) for low-performing middle schoolers. To make learning last, the FSI explicitly incorporates general techniques backed by evidence from cognitive science. In this chapter, we address fraction intervention for low achievers in three areas: (a) domain specific concepts, procedures, and representa-tions; (b) general techniques that support learning across domains; and (c) lesson-specific details about how information is presented in the FSI. We describe the iterative development of the FSI and discuss its effectiveness in two contexts: small and larger group settings.