About the Intervention
Fraction Challenge is a 12-week intervention designed to improve fourth-grade at-risk students' understanding of fractions through small-group tutoring (3 students per tutor). The intervention emphasizes conceptual understanding with a primary focus on the measurement interpretation of fractions using number lines, fraction tiles, and fraction circles, supplemented by part-whole interpretation and fair shares representations. Instruction includes 36 lessons taught 3 times per week for 30 minutes per session. The program teaches students to compare, order, and place fractions on a 0-to-1 number line, introduces fractions equivalent to 1/2, and develops chunking and segmenting strategies. Procedural instruction (addition and subtraction with like and unlike denominators) is introduced in Lesson 22 after establishing conceptual foundations. The intervention compensates for at-risk students' limitations in working memory, attentive behavior, processing speed, and listening comprehension through efficient strategies, automaticity building with marker fractions, simplified language, frequent comprehension checks, and a behavior management system using checkmarks and a classroom store. Denominators are limited to 12 and exclude 7, 9, and 11 to reduce computational demands.
Statistical Findings
Positive effect: on comparing fractions
Positive effect: on fraction number line placement
Positive effect: on NAEP total score
Positive effect: on NAEP part-whole items
Positive effect: on NAEP measurement items
Positive effect: on fraction calculations
More Intervention Details
Focus Areas
N/APrograms & Services
General Education, Targeted Intervention ProgramDelivery Methods
Face-to-FaceDisability Support
N/ATarget Groups
Student(s)Citation
Changas, P., Cirino, P. T., Hamlett, C. L., Long, J., Lynn S., F., Namkung, J., Schumacher, R. F. & Siegler, R. (2013). Improving At-Risk Learners' Understanding of Fractions (ED552737). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED552737.pdf.
Study Demographics
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Other Participant Characteristics
Geographical Setting
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