New Toolkit Helps Educators Support Grade 3–6 Students Who Struggle with Math

EDC is excited to announce the launch of The Mathematics Intervention Toolkit. The toolkit focuses on helping educators put the recommendations of the What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide, Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics, into action in classrooms every day to improve Grade 3–6 students’ learning and achievement. Available online at no cost, the toolkit was developed by the REL Northeast & Islands at EDC team and published by the Institute of Education Sciences, the U.S. Department of Education’s independent research and statistics arm, which supports the development and use of evidence to improve education.

REL Northeast & Islands works with state education agencies, in support of districts and schools, to address high-priority challenges in education through research partnerships, professional learning, and tools that help educators apply evidence in practice. The Mathematics Intervention Toolkit was developed in response to an urgent need to provide research-based professional learning to support mathematics intervention teachers in improving learning outcomes for students with mathematics difficulties.

To create the toolkit, co-authors Amy Brodesky, Emily Fagan, and Kate Coleman collaborated with 12 Massachusetts district mathematics leaders and with intervention teachers from 28 districts. The three-year R&D process involved multiple rounds of testing with teachers, review by experts, and revisions to provide high-quality, relevant, and ready-to-use resources.

“We deeply appreciate the important contributions of our district leader and teacher collaborators to the toolkit,” said Amy Brodesky. “Their insights and input have helped ensure the toolkit will be a valuable resource to their colleagues nationwide.”

A key part of the toolkit is a high-quality professional development course for Grade 3–6 mathematics intervention teachers and other educators. Designed to be a hybrid experience, the course blends online learning, collaborative professional learning sessions, and application of new knowledge and strategies in the classroom. Districts can tailor the course to their needs by choosing one of several implementation options.

“This has been one of the most impactful experiences of my 30+ year professional career,” said one of the teachers who participated in the course. “I have seen firsthand how my professional learning from this research study/professional development has benefited the students that I work with.”

The toolkit includes:

• The online course’s six modules (Introductory, Mathematical Language, Representations, Number Lines, Word Problems, Systematic Instruction)
• Participant workbooks
• Facilitator guides and slides
• Instructional routines to use with students
• Videos of teachers using evidence-based strategies with students
• Resources for school and district leaders

We invite you to learn more about EDC’s Research & Evaluation and STEM Education & Workforce Development initiatives.