SAXON MATHEMATICS: AN EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF SAXON MATH INSTRUCTION ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT _______________________ A Project Proposal Presented to The

College of Education Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana ______________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Course Requirements for CIMT 610 Summer II 2011 _______________________ by Megan Farnsworth July 30, 2011

Megan Farnsworth 2011

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CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Introduction School districts are under pressure to ensure that their students are learning skills that will help them succeed in both their school careers and their adult lives. Standardized test scores are indicators of academic progress. Districts are required by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to report student progress on standardized tests such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED) each year. Schools must set yearly goals for student progress in the academic areas of reading, mathematics, and science. Districts must meet these annual goals in order to provide evidence of student learning to the local community, as well as state and federal education officials. Each year school districts set goals to increase the percent of students who score proficient or above on those assessments. Ing (2008) reported that a students prior achievement on district-wide assessments was a major factor in predicting scores on upcoming assessments. With only 77% of students scoring proficient or above in math on previous assessments, Adair-Casey Elementary School decided to investigate a new math curriculum to see if it would have a positive impact on student scores. Adair-Casey Community Elementary School chose to implement Saxon math curriculum in order to improve standardized test scores. The Saxon curriculum incorporates problemsolving strategies, realistic activities, and manipulatives in order to instruct students in mathematical concepts. These are important skills that are tested on yearly ITBS and NWEA assessments. Developing these skills would be an important part of increasing student achievement.

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Developing Problem Solving Strategies Problem solving is a lifelong skill that students need to develop. Griffin and Jitendra (2009) reported on the use of Schema-Based Instruction (SBI) to solve problems. Using SBI, students analyze the type of problem to be solved. Once the problem has been identified, students draw diagrams that will assist them in solving the problems. SBI instruction helped students maintain their skills even twelve weeks following instruction and may be effective with low-achieving students. Saxon instruction encourages students to utilize diagrams when solving multistep problems. These diagrams enable students to visualize the problem, which aids in improving their problem-solving skills. In addition, Saxon instruction focuses on a story problem each day. The problem is solved in a large-group setting and introduces students to various problemsolving strategies. They must record the facts that are given in the problem and restate the question that is posed. Then they choose an effective strategy for solving the problem. Finally, they solve the problem and explain why their answer is reasonable. Incorporating Manipulatives Manipulatives are important tools for early math learning. Children learn mathematical concepts through tactile experiences with counters, blocks, fraction pieces, and geometric shapes. Students can use these manipulatives to help them discover mathematical concepts and improve their number sense. Witzel (2005) explored using a sequential progression of instruction called concrete-to-representational-to-abstract (CRA). The treatment group using the CRA method used concrete, pictorial, and abstract manipulatives to supplement instruction. The use of the manipulatives improved scores after instruction. Those gains were maintained when

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tested three weeks following instruction. The CRA method was useful for students requiring remediation of skills as well as for high-achieving students. Belenky and Nokes (2009) studied the effect of manipulatives on mathematical learning for college students. Their research showed that pairing concrete manipulatives with metacognitive prompts led to improved knowledge of the mathematical concepts being studied. Metacognitive prompts instruct students to reflect on the actual problem-solving process and to discover relationships within story problems. Saxon incorporates various types of manipulatives during instruction. They can manipulate various geometric solids to learn about the vertices, faces, and edges of those solids. Students initially use concrete fraction circles to discover relationships between equivalent fractions. They are then taught to draw pictures and to finally use algorithms to perform the calculations. This progression is much like the CRA method described above. Creating Realistic Activities Students desire to know that the concepts they are learning will be relevant to their lives. They enjoy connecting the skills they are learning to problems they may face in their lives. Students will see the value in learning how to make change when they begin making purchases themselves. They can see the importance of learning fractional concepts when they begin to follow recipes that contain fractions. Yang and Wu (2010) reported that utilizing real-life problems and teaching student to break down larger problems into individual processes allow students to develop number sense skills. They encourage number sense activities to be taught to children as early as possible. These skills help students understand numbers and operations, recognize relationships between

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the values of numbers, use benchmarks for effective estimation, and ensure their results are reasonable. Saxon math utilizes a variety of real-life problems during both instruction and independent practice. Students encounter realistic problems regarding spending money, building a fence, purchasing carpet, and converting measurements. In addition, Saxon math problems often ask students to explain why they believe that their answer is reasonable. This explanation requires students to utilize their estimation skills and develop number sense. They will begin to discover the reasons why some answers do not make sense mathematically. Summary Various instructional strategies have been shown to affect the development of mathematical skills. Many students benefit from the use of problem-solving strategies and manipulatives to solve complex realistic problems. Mathematical skills are developed throughout elementary and secondary education to prepare students for technical training, college, and careers. Adults use mathematical skills when they go to the store, prepare a meal, balance their checkbook, or remodel their home. Saxon math curriculum can be implemented to develop problem-solving skills and number sense. These skills would lead to improved test scores although the ultimate goal is to prepare students to become adept at solving realistic problems.

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References Belenky, D. M., & Nokes, T. J. (2009). Examining the role of manipulatives and metacognition on engagement, learning, and transfer. The Journal of Problem Solving, 2(2), 102-129. Griffin, C., & Jitendra, A. (2009). Word problem-solving instruction in inclusive third-grade mathematics classrooms. Journal of Educational Research, 102(3), 187-202. Ing, M. (2008). Using instructional sensitivity and instructional opportunities to interpret students mathematics performance. Journal of Educational Research, 8(1), 23-43. Witzel, B. (2005). Using CRA to teach algebra to students with math difficulties in inclusive settings. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 3(2), 49-60. Yang, D. C., & Wu, W. R. (2010). The study of number sense: Realistic activities integrated into third-grade math classes in Taiwan. Journal of Educational Research, 103(6), 379-392.