Intervention for Low-performing First Graders in Mathematics

Intensiv støtte i Matematikk for Elever Som er i Risiko for å Utvikle Matematikkvansker

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of an intervention program for low-performing first graders in mathematics. .

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Mathematics Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Intensiv support for first graders in Norway

Detailed Description

There were sent a request to a school in the central of East-Norway to participate. The principal answered yes, and then asked the teachers at first grade if they would like to participate. The teachers were positive to the study, and therefore the students and parents were asked to participate. It was total 74 students and 54 of them accepted to participate in the study. The inclusion criteria of the study is that the participants talks and understand Norwegian approximate fluently. In this study that means one participant was excluded.

The study will use a design of randomized control trial (RCT) where the population of 53 students will be doing av screening-test. After the screening 20% of the lowest-performance will make up the sample and they will be departed in a clinical-group and a control-group. These students will then be tested with Test of Basic Arithmetic and Numeracy, the Norwegian test called Arithmetic fact-test, the vocabulary and calculation tasks from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition and Ravens colored progressive matrices. The randomization will be conduct using randomize.org and the parents will get information about which group their child will participate in. The intervention are eight week long with 4 lessons per week. Each lesson are about 45-50 minutes long. The start of the intervention will be in week 42, 2022 and end in week 49, 2022. The intervention-group will follow an intervention conducting elements from an education program called "ThinkMath" and self-developed tasks. The control-group will follow ordinary classroom-lessons. After ended intervention-period the students will be tested with the same test-battery as were used in front of the start point.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Norway
  • Halden, Norway
    • Østfold University College

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 5 years to 7 years (CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria: Performing under the cut off score of a screening tool for first graders, i.e. 20th percentile

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Exclusion Criteria:

• not proficient Norwegian language skills

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Mathematics intervention; Low-performing children get targeted support with a scripted intervention	Behavioral: Intensiv support for first graders in Norway; Intervention targeting early numeracy skills that are known to be important for mathematical development, focusing on counting skills, counting strategies, number knowledge, word problem solving and basic understanding of addition and subtraction
NO_INTERVENTION: Control group; Business as usual

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number knowledge	Number knowledge measured by digit comparison, number reading and number recognition (numerical knowledge) - both orally and written presented. Higher score indicates better result.	10 weeks
Arithmetic fluency 1-10 with Test of Basic Arithmetic and Numeracy, the Norwegian test called Arithmetic fact-test and a digital test created by University of Oslo.	Arithmetic fluency in the number area 1-10. Higher score indicates better result.	10 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Word problem solving from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition	Word problem solving presented orally. Minimum score 0, maximum 34. Higher score indicates better result.	10 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Non-verbal IQ Raven	Raven's colored matrices. Minimum score 0, maximum 36. Higher score indicates better result.	10 weeks
Vocubulary from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition	Vocabulary assessment. Minimum score 0, maximum 54. Higher score indicates better result.	10 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ostfold University College
• Investigators: Study Chair: Anita Lopez-Pedersen, Phd, Østfold University College

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): August 15, 2022
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): June 30, 2023
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): June 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 12, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2023
• First Posted (ACTUAL): February 2, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): February 2, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2023
• Last Verified: January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Communication Disorders; Learning Disabilities; Dyscalculia
• Other Study ID Numbers: OstfoldUC

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No