title: The effects of cognitive and metacognitive strategy instruction on the mathematical problem solving of middle school students with learning disabilities.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of cognitive and metacognitive strategy instruction on the mathematical problem solving of six middle school students with learning disabilities. Conditions of the multiple baseline, across-subjects design included baseline, two levels of treatment, setting and temporal generalization, and retraining. For Treatment 1, subjects received either cognitive or metacognitive strategy instruction. Treatment 2 consisted of instruction in the complementary component of the instructional program so that all subjects eventually received both cognitive and metacognitive strategy instruction. This design allowed a componential analysis of the content as well as sequence of instruction. Generally, subjects improved their mathematical problem solving as measured by performance on one-, two-, and three-step word problems. Discussion focused on effectiveness of treatment, acquisition and application of strategic knowledge, error pattern analysis, and the need to tailor instruction to the learner's individual characteristics.
authors.affiliation: School of Education, University of Miami, FL 33124.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montague
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D003210:Concept Formation; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D011340:Problem Solving