Broadening Participation in Mathematics for English Learners with Mathematics Difficulties: A Multi-Site Impact Study

在数学方面的成功对学生在公立学校和中学后阶段的成功具有重要意义，并有助于国家的STEM劳动力和经济。虽然建立数学素养对所有学习者都很重要，但对于最容易受到学术风险影响的学生来说尤其重要。在这些高危人群中，有英语学习者（ELs）。根据定义，英语学习者还不精通学术英语，并且经常在没有准备好学科学习的语言要求的情况下来到学校。真实和参与的内容学习活动，如早期数学，可能是获得语言和识字技能的理想环境。研究表明，英语学习者是美国学校中增长最快的群体。目前，美国的教室为超过500万名英语学习者提供服务，据估计，到2025年，每四名学生中就有一名英语学习者。考虑到越来越多的ELS的存在，迫切需要促进公平，消除STEM教育中的差距，因为目前的做法往往无法充分满足这一群体的学习者。压倒性的证据表明，EL的地方远远低于他们的非EL同行在数学领域。因此，这个为期5年的影响项目的目的是严格测试精确数学一年级（PM-1）干预对面临数学困难（MD）的EL的数学成果的有效性。PM-1是一个创新的，一年级的，以英语为基础的数学干预，专注于最先进的技术和动手解决问题的活动，PM-1干预旨在支持学生或有风险的MD在发展的基础概念，解决问题的技能和早期测量和统计调查词汇的强大理解。本研究将根据学生的初始数学技能水平和英语熟练程度等变量，考察学生对PM-1干预的反应，并探讨英语学习者数学话语机会的比率和质量如何预测数学成果的收益。 这项DRK-12影响研究将通过一项方法学上严格的随机对照试验来研究精密数学一级（PM-1）干预的有效性。该研究将采用随机区组设计，在教室中进行区组，并将一年级英语学习者（EL）随机分配到两种条件之一：（a）PM-1干预或（B）控制（照常）。来自150个一年级教室的大约900名EL将参加。三个研究目标将指导这项研究。目标1将系统地评估PM-1对学生数学成绩的平均影响;而目标2将根据学生层面的变量，包括英语水平和预处理数学表现，调查干预的差异反应。在目标3中，研究人员将探讨英语学习者数学话语机会的频率和质量是否能预测数学成绩的提高。虽然随机分配将发生在学生一级，学生将被分配到小型教学小组的形式进行干预交付。因此，本研究采用部分嵌套的时间×条件混合模型分析来评估PM-1对前测到后测数学成绩的影响（目标1）和基于学生特征的PM-1差异反应（目标2）。在学生和PM-1干预组中嵌套重复评估的随机系数分析将探讨数学话语机会的比率和质量是否预测了EL在数学成绩方面的进步（目标3）。DRK-12计划旨在通过preK-12学生和教师显着提高科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学，通过研究和开发创新资源、模式和工具。该计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究以及为拟议项目提供理论和经验证明的先前研究和开发工作的基础上。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Success in mathematics has major implications for student success at the public school and postsecondary levels, as well as contributing to the nation’s STEM workforce and economy. While building mathematics literacy is important for all learners, it is especially critical for students most vulnerable for academic risk. Among these at-risk subgroups are English learners (ELs). By definition, ELs are not yet proficient in academic English and often come to school unprepared for the linguistic demands of disciplinary learning. Authentic and engaged content learning activities, such as early mathematics, may comprise the ideal context for acquiring the language and literacy skills ELs need. Research suggests ELs represent the fastest growing subgroup in U.S. schools. Currently, U.S. classrooms serve over five million ELs and estimated projections suggest that up to one in four students in 2025 will be an EL. Considering the rising presence of ELs, there is an urgent need to advance equity and eliminate disparities in STEM education among this group of learners who are often underserved by current practice. Overwhelming evidence suggests that ELs place well short of their non-EL peers in the area of mathematics. Therefore, the purpose of this 5-year Impact Project is to rigorously test the efficacy of the Precision Mathematics First-Grade (PM-1) intervention on the mathematics outcomes of ELs who face mathematics difficulties (MD). PM-1 is an innovative, first-grade, English-based, mathematics intervention focused on state-of-the-art technology and hands-on problem-solving activities, the PM-1 intervention is designed to support students with or at risk for MD in developing a robust understanding of the underlying concepts, problem-solving skills, and vocabulary of early measurement and statistical investigation. This study will examine student response to the PM-1 intervention based on variables such as students’ initial mathematics skill levels and proficiency in English, and explore how the rate and quality of mathematics discourse opportunities for ELs may predict gains in mathematics outcomes. This DRK-12 Impact study will investigate the efficacy of the Precision Mathematics First-Grade (PM-1) intervention through a methodologically rigorous randomized controlled trial. The study will utilize a randomized block design, blocking on classrooms and randomly assigning first-grade English learners (ELs) who face mathematics difficulties (MD) within first-grade classrooms to one of two conditions: (a) PM-1 intervention or (b) control (business-as-usual). Approximately 900 ELs from 150 first-grade classrooms will participate. Three research aims will guide this study. Aim 1 will systematically evaluate the average effect of PM-1 on student mathematics achievement; while Aim 2 will investigate differential response to the intervention based on student-level variables, including ELs proficiency in English and pretreatment mathematics performance. In Aim 3, researchers will explore whether the frequency and quality of mathematics discourse opportunities for ELs predicts gains in mathematics achievement. Although random assignment will take place at the student level, students will be assigned to small instructional group formats for intervention delivery. Therefore, the design employs a partially nested mixed-model Time × Condition analyses to evaluate the effect of PM-1 on pretest to posttest gains in mathematics achievement (Aim 1) and differential response to PM-1 based on student characteristics (Aim 2). A random coefficients analysis that nests repeated assessments within students and PM-1 intervention groups will explore whether the rate and quality of mathematics discourse opportunities predicts ELs’ gains in mathematics achievement (Aim 3).The DRK-12 Program seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.