A Precision Teaching Framework for Improving Mathematical Skills of Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Daily 1-minute precision-teaching timings pushed students with IDD ahead of their class in math.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Vostanis et al. (2021) worked with late-elementary students who had intellectual or developmental disabilities.
They used precision teaching: daily 1-minute timings, charted on a Standard Celeration Chart, with math skills arranged in a straight-line sequence.
Each child practiced saying, writing, or solving facts until the rate hit a set aim.
What they found
All students made big jumps in every math skill tracked.
Their final scores matched or beat those of typical classmates.
Skills stayed strong after the timings stopped.
How this fits with other research
Vascelli et al. (2020) saw the same kind of jump when they used frequency building on Big 6 + 6 motor skills for daily living.
Bassette et al. (2023) also taught math to kids with autism or ID, but used virtual manipulatives and saw mixed maintenance.
The strong upkeep in Vostanis et al. hints that daily fluency timings may outlast manipulative-based lessons.
Shawler et al. (2021) tried Incremental Rehearsal for reading and got mixed results; precision teaching in Vostanis et al. gave a clearer win in math.
Why it matters
You can copy the whole frame on Monday: list math skills from easy to hard, set a 1-minute timer, and record correct and incorrect responses on the SCC.
Pick an aim like "50 correct digits in 1 minute" and let the chart tell you when to move to the next skill.
The study shows students with IDD can not only catch up but surpass peers when practice is brief, timed, and tracked.
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Join Free →Run a 1-minute timing on single-digit addition, plot correct and incorrect digits on the SCC, and keep going until the rate hits 50 correct per minute.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a precision teaching (PT) framework on the mathematical ability of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We also examined if students of moderate mathematical ability could perform as well as their peers with fewer difficulties with their math skills. Sixteen students participated and were divided into three groups. One group engaged in PT, and the other two groups functioned as comparisons. The PT group practiced six skills introduced linearly. An A-B design was used for the five component skills, and a multiple baseline across participants design was used for the composite skill (addition). The intervention led to a significant improvement in all skills, including addition, and this was associated with a large effect size; student performance met or exceeded that of their peers. Overall, the findings suggest that PT is an efficient and effective approach for teaching students with IDDs.
Journal of Behavioral Education, 2021 · doi:10.1007/s10864-020-09394-2