Can Mathematical Achievement Gaps Be Closed? An Argument for the Cumulative Model

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: From Geometry to Sex Education: What and How We Teach Matters

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to synthesize findings of longitudinal studies of mathematics achievement for students with and without LD in order to compare mathematical growth trajectories. Scholars have utilized longitudinal data sets to identify students’ academic achievement trajectories and show how different profiles can be used to improve educational policy and teacher practice. Also, interpreting findings from longitudinal studies is essential in order to explain children’s mathematical development using two possible hypotheses (i.e., the cumulative model and the lag model). Nine studies were selected with a multi-step electronic search. Across studies, students with LD displayed lower mathematics achievement compared to their typically developing peers, supporting the cumulative model. Directions for future research and implications for practitioners are addressed.

Author

• Soyoung Park, The University of Texas at Austin