The effects of teaching precurrent behaviors on children's solution of multiplication and division word problems.

Two late-elementary students learned to solve multiplication and division word problems. The teacher first taught four overt precurrent steps: say the label, name the operation, point to the bigger number, point to the smaller number. Only after the child could do all four steps did the teacher ask for the final answer.

The team used a multiple-baseline design across students. Each child moved through the four steps at their own pace.

Both kids mastered the four precurrent steps. After that, they correctly solved brand-new multiplication and division stories. The skills stuck around without extra practice.

Zhou et al. (2024) later copied the same four-step chain with autistic students. They switched the math to addition and subtraction and taught over Zoom. The kids still learned fast and kept the skill.

Yakubova et al. (2015) looks like a clash at first. They used point-of-view videos, not overt steps, to teach fraction word problems. Both studies worked, so the difference is the medium, not the message. Videos help when the teacher cannot give one-on-one prompts.

Heinicke et al. (2012) showed taped numbers help kindergarteners learn to identify digits. That early skill feeds into later word-problem work, linking the ladder of math ABA studies.

You can turn any word-problem worksheet into four quick prompts. Have the child say “multiplication,” circle the big number, circle the small number, then solve. It takes one minute and works for both neurotypical and autistic students. Try it next time a learner freezes at the story line.