In this article, the authors focus on five instructional approaches with a strong evidence base for the teaching and learning of math: (a) plan, model, and practice: systematic and explicit instruction; (b) focus on the language of math; (c) use multiple representations, including number lines; (d) build fluency; and (e) provide word problem…

Many educators use informal math language to make the content more accessible for middle school students, yet this use of informal language may have unintended consequences. Informal language may hinder students' development of a deep math lexicon and understanding of concepts and procedures across grade levels. Becoming proficient with math…

Many general and special education teachers teach mathematics word problems by defining problems as a single operation and linking key words to specific operations. Unfortunately, teaching students to approach word problems in these ways discourages mathematical reasoning and frequently produces incorrect answers. This article lists eight common…

Children with disabilities perform lower in mathematics than their peers without disabilities, and this gap widens from ages 7 to 13 (Wei, Lenz, & Blackorby, 2013). Of even greater concern is that fifth-grade children with mathematics disabilities continue to perform in the bottom quartile of their grade in high school (Shalev, Manor, &…

This article describes data-based individualization (DBI) as a continuous process connecting assessment and intervention in mathematics for students with disabilities. DBI provides teachers with an evidence-based method for individualizing interventions for students who do not demonstrate adequate response. Assessment data gathered through the use…