Academic skill development requires engagement in effortful academic behaviors. Although students may be more likely to choose to engage in behaviors that require less effort, they also may be motivated to complete assignments that they have already begun. Seventh-grade students (N = 88) began a mathematics computation worksheet, but were stopped…

Active student responding is often required to remedy computation skill deficits in students with learning disabilities. However, these students may find computation assignments unrewarding and frustrating, and be less likely to choose to engage in assigned computation tasks. In the current study, middle school students with learning disabilities…

Study extends research on the interspersal procedure using standardized mathematics subtests with different task demands. Results showed that the interspersal procedure enhanced academic performance on a Mental Computation subtest, but not a Multiplication subtest. Results indicate that the efficacy of the interspersal procedure is affected…

An alternating treatments design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program that combined timings, peer tutoring, positive-practice overcorrection, and performance feedback on mathematics fluency in four elementary school students with mathematics skills deficits. Results are discussed in terms of combining intervention…

Investigates and compares the effects of explicit timing on mathematics problem completion rates in African American (n=68) and Caucasian (n=18) second-grade students. Results show that both African American and Caucasian second grade students increased their problem completion rates. No significant cross-group differences were found. Discussion…

Sixth-grade students were given eight minutes per assignment to work computation problems on a mathematics assignment containing 25 four-digit by one-digit problems and an assignment containing 25 similar problems plus nine interspersed one-digit plus one-digit problems. When given a choice for a third assignment, students chose the one with more…

Compares the effects of two self-managed interventions on written multiplication in two elementary students with behavior disorders. Results indicate that the verbal responding intervention resulted in a larger number of learning trials and greater increases in learning rates. Focuses on increasing learning rates by requiring more time-efficient…

Provides an empirically supported rationale for increasing student learning rates by improving the efficiency of learning trials. Describes several procedures that have been shown to improve learning rates without increasing the time allocated for instruction. Examines learning mechanisms that may be operating to improve student achievement. (RJM)