Math Research Articles

Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., Hamlett, C.L., Phillips, N.B., & Bentz, J. (l994). Classwide curriculum-based measurement: Helping general educators meet the challenge of student diversity.Exceptional Children, 60, 518-537.

Reports a study contrasting the effects of CBM versus CBM plus peer tutoring versus standard treatment within general education classrooms; results document the value added of peer tutoring used in conjunction with CBM for students with LD and for other low- and average-achieving students.

Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., Hamlett, C.L., Phillips, N.B., & Karns, K. (l995). General educators’ specialized adaptation for students with learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 61, 440-459.

Reports a study that examined general educators’ specialized adaptation for students with learning disabilities, in conjunction with peer-assisted learning strategies and curriculum-based measurement, is presented; results showed that (a) teachers who were provided with support to implement adaptations engaged in specialized adaptation and their thinking about how they planned for their students with LD changed and (b) although some teachers implemented substantively important, individually tailored adjustments, others relied on adaptations that were uninventive and limited.

Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., Hamlett, C.L., Phillips, N.B., Karns, K., & Dutka, S. (l997). Enhancing students’ helping behavior during peer-mediated instruction with conceptual mathematical explanations. Elementary School Journal, 97, 223-249.

Presents a study examining the added-value of preparing students to formulate conceptual mathematical explanations during PALS; results showed that (a) students with LD, as well as other low-, average-, and high-performing classmates, provided better explanations more when taught to formulate conceptual explanations, and (b) students who were taught methods to formulate conceptual mathematical explanations achieved better in mathematics. Based on the study, PALS incorporates training for students in formulating conceptual mathematical explanations.

Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., & Karns, K. (2001). Enhancing kindergartener’s mathematical development: Effects of peer-assisted learning strategies. Elementary School Journal, 101, (5), 495-510.

Describes a study examining the effectiveness of PALS with kindergarten children; results provide evidence that PALS helps children get off to a stronger start in math, regardless of whether they began the year low-, average-, and high-performers.

Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., Phillips, N.B., Hamlett, C.L., & Karns, K. (l995). Acquisition and transfer effects of classwide peer-assisted learning strategies in mathematics for students with varying learning histories. School Psychology Review, 24, 604-620.

Reports a study that examined the effects of peer-assisted learning strategies and curriculum-based measurement on the acquisition and transfer learning of three types of students; results indicated (a) superior mathematics growth for students in the PALS/CBM condition and (b) the need for additional research on low-achieving and learning disabled students’ transfer from the operations tutoring content to the broader mathematics curriculum.

Phillips, N.B., Fuchs, L.S., & Fuchs, D. (l994). Effects of classwide curriculum-based measurement and peer tutoring: A collaborative researcher-practitioner interview study. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 27, 420-434.

Explains the math PALS methods and reports a study that examined teachers’ perspectives on PALS effectiveness.

Phillips, N.B., Hamlett, C.L., Fuchs, L.S., & Fuchs, D. (l993). Combining classwide curriculum-based measurement and peer tutoring to help general educators provide adaptive education.Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 8, 148-156.

Provides an overview of the math PALS methods for practitioners, with a brief summary of an efficacy study.