NumberShire Level 1 Gaming Intervention

NumberShire Level 1 Gaming Intervention (NS1) is a game-based, Tier 2 mathematics intervention designed for first-grade students with or at risk for mathematics difficulties. The intervention targets whole-number concepts and skills across three Common Core State Standards domains: Counting and Cardinality, Number and Operations in Base Ten, and Operations and Algebraic Thinking. NS1 consists of 48 sessions organized into 12 weeks of instruction, with four 15-minute sessions per week, totaling 12 hours of individualized instructional gameplay. The intervention is delivered individually through a gaming platform in school computer labs, facilitated by trained instructional assistants. Each session includes four activities: Warm-Up (practice of previously mastered skills), Teaching Event (explicit instruction on new concepts with demonstrations and guided practice), Assessment Event (extended practice of previously taught skills), and Wrap-Up (review activities). NS1 employs explicit instructional design principles including instructional scaffolding, frequent practice opportunities with immediate feedback, and a Differentiated Learning Pathway that adjusts instruction based on student performance metrics. The intervention uses virtual mathematical representations, NS1 characters for modeling, and a Renaissance-style fairy tale village setting to engage students. Interventionists receive four hours of professional development training before implementation.