Abstract:
Mathematics Intervention, the program discussed in this paper, was developed as a collaborative project involving the principal and staff of a state primary school in the metropolitan area of Melbourne and mathematics educators from a nearby university (Pearn & Merrifield, 1996). This program aims to identify, then assist, children in Grade 1 "at risk" of not coping with the mathematics curriculum as documented in the National Statement on Mathematics for Australian Schools (Australian Education Council, 1991). The Mathematics Intervention program features elements of both Reading Recovery (Clay, 1987) and Mathematics Recovery (Wright, 1991) and offers students the chance to experience success in mathematics by developing the basic concepts of number upon which they build their understanding of mathematics. The theoretical framework underpinning Mathematics Intervention is based on recent mathematics educational research about children's early arithmetical learning (Steffe, von Glasersfeld, Richards and Cobb, 1983; Wright, 1991) and about the types of strategies used by children to demonstrate their mathematical knowledge (Gray & Tall, 1994). The development and results of clinical interviews used for testing will be discussed. Mathematics Intervention is an example of a program developed and implemented by classroom teachers building on current research and designed to empower classroom teachers to meet the challenge of advancing all children's mathematical development.