EPSY 5125 Program Evaluation Anaite Letona, Celia Victoria, Tim bogdanof

1. EPSY 5125 Program EvaluationAnaite Letona, Celia Victoria, Tim bogdanof Making Math Real A Multisensory Structured Professional Development Program to Reach the Full Diversity of Learners, K-12

2. Program Focus Intensive professional development of teacher/parents to teach math:: Incrementally Sequentially Multi-sensory

3. About Making Math Real MMR is a hands on, incremental, multi-sensory structured approach to teaching math. Can be used as an intervention model or as a supplement to the adopted math curriculum • MMR is designed to supports students who struggle with mathematical conceptual learning. • Integrates concept to procedure • Is a teaching model that must be learned by completing the in-house trainings.

4. pedagogy of MMR • Reduces reliance on memory by using graphic organizers that support mental pictures that match key mathematical concepts. • Uses color coding that is consistent throughout the entire development. • Uses high level content based vocabulary and develops higher order thinking skills • Each lesson is sequential and builds to higher levels of cognition • Builds sensory-cognitive ability to support processing of mathematical concepts and symbols. • Incremental – begins with concrete instruction that builds into semi-concrete, then moves to semi-abstract and finally to the abstract. • Heavy use of manipulatives in the concrete and semi-concrete stages.

5. Basic Tenets of Making math real • The development of literacy and numeracy should both be key components of all K-12 education • That most students who struggle in math do not lack intelligence but instead lack the “underlying development that supports the acquisition of the basic tools to do math.” • Multi-sensory instruction is delivered as a progressive building of skills and tools for success at higher levels of math • Three modalities of instruction exist in each lesson: visual, auditory and kinesthetic-motoric. • Conceptual learning begins with incremental progression to a pure abstract knowledge of math concepts and facts using symbol imaging, detail analysis and sequential processing. • Processing should be supported by moving through the increments of concrete – semi-concrete- semi-abstract- abstract.

6. Making Math real in the classroom • Can be whole class, small group or 1:1 • Must be managed – tools, writingand vocabulary • Requires extensive initial prep work

7. 9-Lines – used to increase math facts fluency

8. Target audience • Making Math Real is targeted to all grade levels with classes that teach Kindergarten all the way through Algebra. • Students with learning disabilities can benefit greatly from this program and students with no learning or other disability can also benefit by increasing cognitive skills that will allow them to progress to higher levels of thinking in math and life. • Intervention methods can be used to teach basic numeracy, teach math facts fluency or as curriculum to teach the 4 operations, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

9. Multi-sensory learning

10. Delivery of instruction • Making Math Real offers intensive instruction for parents and teacher at their site in Berkeley, CA Direct instruction for teachers requires them to attend site-based classes to receive curriculum and materials that can be utilized in their classroom. MMR teachers are available to support teachers on site for a fee Direct Instruction for students occurs in the classroom. Teacher can use the MMR resources to teach the lesson, use the adopted curriculum for abstract work and assessments. Modified assessments can be created using the basic tenets of MMR.

11. Making Math Real – Learning Pyramid Abstract Semi-Concrete & Semi-Abstract Concrete & Semi-Concrete Concrete experience

12. Course sequence guide Elementary Middle school & high school All the elementary courses plus: Pre-Algebra Algebra • Overview • 9-lines – multiplication facts • 4-Operations & 400 Math Facts • Time and Money • Fractions, Decimals and Advanced Place Value • Games

13. Evidence • David Berg, creator of Making Math Real is an author, educational instructor and was a teacher in the classroom. • MMR is NOT evidence-based as a general curriculum that allows it to be used in a California public school. • This means that no empirical research has been done on this program as a whole curriculum, over a period of time and in large numbers. • MMR does however, capitalize on the research in reading instruction, brain learning and uses it as support for multi-sensory learning. • Research in sensory-cognitive brain development supports the importance of processing speed and deficits in the learning process • Visual imaging, use of mental images, incremental instruction are all researched successful teaching methods • MMR uses research in learning disabilities to support the incremental, sequential approach to teaching • On-going research on processing, brain development and learning styles continue to support this approach to intervention

14. Evidence • “Over the last 20 years in our educational system, there has been a valuable focus on literacy development in our country.  Some of the significant improvements made during this time include: • Increased understanding of research connecting neurodevelopment with specific instructional practices • Increased use of multisensory structured reading and language programs • Improved professional development for teachers to help expand understanding and application of more comprehensive and inclusive programs • Improved assessment to help teachers address specific educational needs of students • David Berg, Founder of MMR • “ Research now suggests that numeracy or quantity representation may be the core deficit in math disabilities.  In The Leaning Brain by Blakemore and Frith, they report that once students begin learning multiplication tables, they use more of the language hemisphere of the brain.  In other words, once children get beyond dealing with quantities they can see, they are retrieving language.  This is a weakness for many students, especially those with language based learning disabilities.  For these students hands-on manipulatives become a crucial link between concept and application. ” The Multisensory Training Institute of  The Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center  Rockville, MD

15. Evidence • Processing Speed and impact to learning math: • “Between 5% and 8% of school-age children have some form of memory or cognitive deficit that interferes with their ability to learn concepts or procedures in one or more mathematical domains. A review of the arithmetical competencies of these children is provided, along with discussion of underlying memory and cognitive deficits and potential neural correlates.” David C. Geary, (2004) Mathematics and Learning Disabilities Journal of Learning Disabilities, Vol. 37,#1 • “When reading ability was controlled for, arithmetic ability was best predicted by processing speed, with short-term memory accounting for no further unique variance. It was concluded that children with arithmetic difficulties have problems specifically in automating basic arithmetic facts which may stem from a general speed of processing deficit.” Bull R, Johnston RS, (1997) Children’s arithmetical difficulties: Contributions from processing speed, item identifica- tion, and short-term memory. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 65, 1–24.

16. EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION • Requires teacher to create support materials specific to his/her grade level • Site leadership should be involved with its implementation • Requires informed parent participation and buy in • Should be coordinated with adopted math curriculum and used as supplemental supports or intervention • Small groups instruction is ideal but it can be done whole class • If used as an intervention effective implementation would include clear communication with teacher, regular assessment, and be integrated with the overall curriculum

17. Progress monitoring • Progress is based on teacher assessment of students ability to move on to the next increment • This can be done whole class or individual • Built in benchmarks to assess acquisition of content • Follows California Math Standards progression so teachers can map out their year using MMR as a supplement

18. Strengths • Strong multi-sensory components • Addresses different intelligences • Builds higher level cognitive thinking • Well organized highly effective visual organizers • Sequential and developmental delivery of content • Supports incremental progression of cognitive processing • Concrete-semi-concrete-semi-abstract-abstract • Builds visual imaging to support building of working memory • Classes are well structured and organized • Opportunities for flexible and targeted assessments • Strong symbol imaging components • Curriculum supports current brain science

19. WEAKNESSES • Is NOT adequately researched as a means of teaching math in a public school or as a legitimate intervention program. • Trainings are only in house at their site in Berkeley or at the school site for a substantial cost • No complimentary support free with class enrollment • Expensive for individuals and Districts • Time consuming and is initially highly scripted • No on-site staff in-service to monitor accuracy of delivery • Program is very dense and can be overwhelming • Classes are long and information intensive • Difficult to integrate adopted curriculum quickly • Standard assessments are not part of the curriculum • Steep learning curve for new teachers