Unique and Combined Effects of Small-Group Fraction Vocabulary and Arithmetic Interventions for Students With Mathematical Difficulties.

This study examined the effects of a fraction vocabulary intervention, with and without embedded fraction arithmetic instruction, on fraction vocabulary knowledge and arithmetic skills among fourth-grade Chinese students with mathematics difficulties (MD). Seventy students were randomly assigned to three groups: fraction vocabulary only (FV-only), fraction vocabulary plus arithmetic instruction (FV+A), and a business-as-usual (BaU) control. Both intervention groups showed significantly greater gains in fraction vocabulary compared to BaU, but no significant differences were found among groups in overall fraction arithmetic performance, except that only the FV+A group improved in subtraction with like denominators. The findings suggest that small-group vocabulary instruction can effectively enhance fraction vocabulary knowledge for students with MD, but integrating arithmetic instruction within a limited timeframe may not sufficiently improve fraction arithmetic skills, possibly due to cognitive load and differences in instructional approaches between China and the United States.