Improving Numeracy Outcomes for 'At Risk' Children: A cluster-Randomised Control Trial of Precision Teaching Methods.

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Despite an evidence-base supporting early intervention many students in Wales still reach high school without necessary basic numeracy skills (OECD, 2014). Academic underachievement relating to skill deficits has been conceptualised in the 'cumulative dysfluency' paradigm (Binder, 1996). That is, underachievement is a result of a student not acquiring multiple prerequisite skills to a level of mastery before progressing onto complex skills. Evidence-based approaches have been applied within education to remediate the cumulative dysfluency effect (e.g., Gallagher, 2006; Hughes et al., 2007; Hunter, et al., 2016; Beverley et al., 2016).PT is an example of an 'accelerated learning' system derived from the basic principles of learning (Fredrick & Hummel, 2004). This helps children learn skills faster than would be typically expected by employing mastery-based methods (Kubina, et al., 2002). PT has been shown to be effective at improving basic skills across a wide range of domains including literacy (e.g., Cavallini et al., 2010) and numeracy (e.g., Brady & Kubina, 2010; Hayden & McLaughlin, 2004). PT interventions have typically adopted small n designs, aimed at children diagnosed with specific difficulties. More recent class-wide experimental studies have extended the evidence-base for effectiveness in mainstream classrooms (e.g., Hunter et al., 2016; Beverley et al., 2009, 2016). However, no research has evaluated PT using gold standard RCT methods, which offer more robust evidence for interventions effectiveness (Thornicroft, 2011). This would represent an important addition to the evidence-base for effective early interventions. The primary aim of this research is to extend the current evidence-base for the effectiveness of Precision Teaching methods in schools across North Wales. We aim to do this by conducting a large-scale cluster-Randomised Control Trials (c-RCTs) of Precision Teaching methods. This will be aimed at reducing the academic attainment gap between children 'at risk' of poor academic outcomes (i.e., pupils who are eligible for Free-School Meals [eFSM] or come from deprived backgrounds) and their average peers. Specifically, this project aims to improve attainment in numeracy. Closing this attainment gap is a key target for Welsh Government (2016) and the Well- being and Future Generations Act (2015). It is also a priority for GwE (Regional School Effectiveness and Improvement Service for North Wales), as set out in their regional business plan (GwE, 2015). The proposed research will build on a systematic research and implementation programme currently being conducted as part of the Collaborative Institute for Education Research and Impact (CIEREI).