Abstract

Modern teaching and learning are heavily influenced by technology and its adoption into the classroom. With the advent of Apple Education and Google classrooms, the impact and efficacy of web-based and digital tools cannot be overlooked. With a sharp and unexpected move towards remote learning seen for all classrooms post-pandemic, we need to develop effective intervention programs that strategically integrate these tools in literacy and math instruction. This study tested the effectiveness of a mathematically enhanced reading program, Math CORPS, against a standard reading intervention using remote teaching modalities. Six students (age range 9.1-11.0, M = 10.2 years, 3 males) from grades four and five were selected for the online single case experimental design (SCED) study targeting math word problem comprehension using reading principles. A detailed visual analysis of data suggested that a contextually enhanced reading intervention led to greater gains in performance on mathematical word problems than a standard, best practices reading program. Effect size investigations using Baseline Corrected Tau method reveal moderate to large effects of the treatment (ES ranging from .643 to .743) on word problem solving. This may suggest that poor performance in math word problems is indicative of a contextual reading deficit rather than a general reading deficit and has the potential to inform and influence math pedagogy using evidence-based technology tools.