Middle Grade Students Research Articles

Productive Problem-Solving Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors). Themes emerged from qualitative analysis indicating that the students engaged in problem-solving behaviors, as well as common patterns of behaviors. There were two consistent behaviors: (a) verbalizing a plan before moving forward on a problem and (b) reengaging after hitting an obstacle in the problem. Data also revealed common patterns of behavior that suggested participants were (a) sensemaking and (b) reflecting throughout the problem-solving process. Findings suggest that these participants, middle-grade students with learning disabilities (SLD), were engaging in productive problem-solving behaviors and persevering throughout the process. Future studies are discussed that maintain an asset-based view on students with learning disabilities.

Centering community and care: Enacting the Torres’ rights of the learner to support middle grades students in building collective responsibility in learning mathematics

ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a teaching approach centered on community and care, aimed at fostering a democratic classroom environment. We highlight the communal co-creation of the Rights of the Learner (RoTL) as the foundation for establishing a shared responsibility atmosphere. Our interpretation of the RoTL challenges traditional power dynamics, control structures, and authority in educational settings, advocating for an environment of mutual respect and collective learning. This approach promotes a more inclusive learning environment, where responsibility is distributed among all classroom members, enhancing unity and collective investment in the learning process. We provide concrete classroom practices to illustrate the enactment of the RoTL by offering a practical approach for integrating community and care to transform teaching and learning of mathematics into a democratic, inclusive, and equitable community for all learners.

Pre‐service middle school teachers' specialized content knowledge on sampling variability

AbstractThis study investigates a range of non‐normative ideas that pre‐service teachers (PSTs) employ in reasoning about sampling variability. This issue was studied in the context of a content course on statistics and probability for pre‐service middle grade teachers at a Midwestern American university. Analysis of seven PSTs' video and screen records of task‐based interviews has articulated fundamental facets of sampling variability that have not yet been fully explicated in the literature, especially with middle grade PSTs. With the content expectation of sampling variability for middle grade students as suggested by policy reports in the United States of America, this study is particularly fertile ground for designing curricula that can support middle grade PSTs' development of critical specialized content knowledge on sampling variability.

Algebraic Representations of a Splitting Task: Implications of Numerical Reasoning

ABSTRACT This qualitative research study uses middle-grades students’ numerical reasoning to model their symbolic representations of the relationship between two multiplicatively related unknowns on an algebra task. Students in sixth grade through ninth grade participated in clinical interviews that assessed their numerical reasoning using the Number Sequences framework, their interpretation of the equal sign, and their algebraic reasoning in the context of writing equations. Analysis used the mental structures that define their numerical reasoning to explain their algebraic capabilities, and changes in their reasoning about the equal sign in different contexts. Findings show that splitting, one mental structure related to the students’ numerical reasoning, is related to students’ symbolic representations of multiplicatively related unknowns. Furthermore, students who had not constructed a splitting operation tended to use numerical examples in place of reasoning about unknowns, and to reason operationally about the equal sign to compensate for this limitation on an algebra task.

The Effects of Grade Retention on High School Outcomes: Evidence from New York City Schools

This study examines the causal impact of grade retention on high school attainment outcomes. We use administrative data on New York City public school students and a regression discontinuity design based on test score cutoffs used to determine retention eligibility. For students scoring at the test score cutoff, grade retention reduces average high school credit accumulation and the likelihood of taking math and English Regents exams. For middle grade students at the test score cutoff, we also find that retention increases dropout and reduces the likelihood of completing Regents exam graduation requirements. We also explore potential mechanisms and find that retention increases placement into special education and makes future retentions of these students less likely.

EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF LYRIC AND EPIC NARRATIVES: INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING MIKHAIL LERMONTOV’S “MTSYRI” IN THE 8TH GRADE LITERATURE CLASSROOM

This scholarly article delves into the nuanced methodology of teaching the poem as a literary genre within secondary education, focusing specifically on Mikhail Lermontov’s «Mtsyri» for 8th-grade students. It begins with a critical examination of the challenges inherent in teaching syncretic genres, especially the poem, which embodies both lyrical and epic elements, thereby presenting unique interpretative challenges. Through the presentation of detailed educational scenarios, the article proposes a comprehensive approach to enhancing students’ understanding and appreciation of «Mtsyri», underscoring the poem’s thematic depth and stylistic complexity. The suggested methodology encompasses a blend of providing historical-literary context, engaging students’ initial perceptions, and encouraging active co-creation strategies, such as expressive reading and artistic representation, to foster deeper literary analysis and engagement. Moreover, the article advocates for the use of heuristic and problem-based teaching methods to address the genre’s definitional ambiguities and to illuminate the poem’s stylistic nuances and thematic significance within Lermontov’s broader body of work. Through this elaborate pedagogical framework, the paper aims to not only improve literary comprehension among middle-grade students but also to cultivate a nuanced appreciation for the interplay between lyrical and epic narrative forms.

Get Fit! With Math and Lit: A Pilot Program of Physical Activity, Mathematics, and Literacy with Middle Grades Students through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Get Fit! With Math and Lit: A Pilot Program of Physical Activity, Mathematics, and Literacy with Middle Grades Students through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Call Me Mendeleev: A Middle Grades Science Lesson on the Periodic Properties of Elements

Each year, in middle and high school classrooms, secondary science teachers introduce their students to the periodic table of elements (herein the periodic table). According to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013), one of the performance expectations states that high school students should be able to, “Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy levels.” Thus, building an understanding of how elements vary in properties is foundational knowledge for middle grades science students. In this paper, we provide context around the importance of having middle grades students participate in the scientific practices of evaluating data and model-building, just as Dimitri Mendeleev and his contemporaries did. Having students use data on elemental properties to find patterns helps them develop their understanding of the nature of scientific discovery as well as aid in their comprehension of the periodicity of elements. Middle grades students are rarely engaged in the process of scientific model-building (Schwarz et al., 2009). Involving learners in model development leads to deeper understanding of key models in science and the nature of disciplinary knowledge in science (Lehrer & Schauble, 2007). By explaining this novel lesson, we evidence how this activity engaged students in the practices of scientists as they learned about this fundamental model.

فاعلية برنامج GeoGebra في تحصيل مادة الرياضيات لدى طالبات الصف الأول المتوسط

The current research aims to identify the effectiveness of the GeoGebra program in the achievement of mathematics among middle first graders. For the purpose of verifying the objective of the research, the following null hypothesis was formulated: There is no statistically significant difference at the level of (0.05) between the average scores of the female students of the experimental group studying using the geogra program and the average scores of the female students of the control group studying in the usual way in the achievement test. The researcher used experimental design with partial control for the two equal groups,which includes two groups. The research sample consisted of (80) female students who were distributed equally between the two groups. The two groups were rewarded in variables (chronological age, intelligence, previous achievement). The researcher also adjusted extraneous variables such as the confidentiality of the experiment and processes related to maturity and experimental extinction. The researcher identified the scientific material represented in chapters (5 , 6) of the mathematics textbook for the first intermediate grade (I 3 of 2018 ) The researcher formulated behavioral goals for the scientific material, which reached (116) behavioral goals. She also prepared a teaching plan for the experimental group and a teaching plan for the control group. With regard to research tools, the researcher has prepared a post-acquisition test where (25) items were drafted for the achievement test (MCQ) for middle first grade students, and they were Answering the test according to four alternatives ( one true and three false ) , and the face validity of it was calculated by presenting it to a group of experienced and competent arbitrators. Reliability was calculated using the Kuder-Regardson equation (20) and calculating the coefficient of difficulty and its discernment and the effectiveness of the wrong alternatives for all items . The experiment was applied in the second course of the academic year (2022-2023) to the research sample of middle first grade students, where the researcher taught the two research groups, and after the end of the experiment, the results were analyzed statistically using the T-test for two independent samples. The results outperformed the experimental group taught using Geogbra software on control group students who studied in the normal way on the achievement test. Keywords: GeoGebra, achievement , Mathematics

فاعلية برنامج GeoGebra في تحصيل مادة الرياضيات لدى طالبات الصف الأول المتوسط

The current research aims to identify the effectiveness of the GeoGebra program in the achievement of mathematics among middle first graders. For the purpose of verifying the objective of the research, the following null hypothesis was formulated: There is no statistically significant difference at the level of (0.05) between the average scores of the female students of the experimental group studying using the geogra program and the average scores of the female students of the control group studying in the usual way in the achievement test. The researcher used experimental design with partial control for the two equal groups,which includes two groups. The research sample consisted of (80) female students who were distributed equally between the two groups. The two groups were rewarded in variables (chronological age, intelligence, previous achievement). The researcher also adjusted extraneous variables such as the confidentiality of the experiment and processes related to maturity and experimental extinction. The researcher identified the scientific material represented in chapters (5 , 6) of the mathematics textbook for the first intermediate grade (I 3 of 2018 ) The researcher formulated behavioral goals for the scientific material, which reached (116) behavioral goals. She also prepared a teaching plan for the experimental group and a teaching plan for the control group. With regard to research tools, the researcher has prepared a post-acquisition test where (25) items were drafted for the achievement test (MCQ) for middle first grade students, and they were Answering the test according to four alternatives ( one true and three false ) , and the face validity of it was calculated by presenting it to a group of experienced and competent arbitrators. Reliability was calculated using the Kuder-Regardson equation (20) and calculating the coefficient of difficulty and its discernment and the effectiveness of the wrong alternatives for all items . The experiment was applied in the second course of the academic year (2022-2023) to the research sample of middle first grade students, where the researcher taught the two research groups, and after the end of the experiment, the results were analyzed statistically using the T-test for two independent samples. The results outperformed the experimental group taught using Geogbra software on control group students who studied in the normal way on the achievement test. Keywords: GeoGebra, achievement , Mathematics

Building a Proposed Educational Program Based on the Characteristics of the Place and Measuring its Effectiveness in Developing the Skills of Sense and Geographical Imagination among Middle Third Grade Students in the City of Makkah

The study aimed to build an educational program based on the characteristics of the place, and measure its effectiveness in developing the skills of sense and geographical imagination, in addition to measuring the reliability between the amount of growth of the two variables. To achieve this, a random sample of (34) students was selected from one of the middle schools in Makkah City. The study followed a semi-experimental approach-one-group design. The study data were collected using two tools observation card for geosensory skills, and a situational test for geo-imagining skills, and the data was analyzed by statistical methods using a program (SPSS). The results of the study revealed significant differences in the level of significance(α≤0.01) Between the average scores of the study group in the tribal and dimensional applications of the two variables approved in the observation card for the skills of geographical sense, and the test of attitudes for the skills of geographical imagination in favor of the dimensional application. Black's adjusted gain ratio for the two approved variables reached (1.24 and 1.25), respectively. The results also showed a linear predictive relationship (Simple regression) of the beta value reached (.748) at the semantic level(α≤0.01) of respectively. Based on the results of the study, a set of relevant recommendations. Keywords: educational program construction, location characteristics, geospatial skills, geospatial imagination skills, middle third grade students

Building a Proposed Educational Program Based on Environmental Citizenship and Measuring its Effectiveness in Developing the Values and Skills Associated with them among Middle Third Grade Students in Makkah City

The study aimed at building a proposed educational program based on environmental citizenship, measuring its effectiveness in the development of values and skills associated with them, and measuring the correlation and predictive reliability between the amount of growth in environmental citizenship values and skills among 30 female third-grade students. The study followed a semi-experimental approach - one-group design. The study data were collected using two tools: attitude selection for environmental citizenship values, and observation card for environmental citizenship skills. The results of the study revealed significant differences at the level of significance (ɑ 0.01) between the average scores of the study group in the tribal and dimensional applications of the two variables adopted in the test of attitudes to environmental citizenship values, and in the class observation card of environmental citizenship skills in favor of the dimensional application. The results also revealed a high impact of the proposed educational program in the sample, with the impact factor of the two approved variables (8.22 - 3.12) respectively. Black's adjusted earnings ratio for the two approved variables was (1.380 - 1.238), respectively, indicating a high effectiveness of the two variants based on the proposed tutorial. The results showed a strong positive correlation at the semantic level (ɑ 0.01) between the two approved variables for both environmental citizenship values and environmental citizenship skills in the sample, where the correlation coefficient for the two approved variables (0.662). The results also showed a linear predictive dependence relationship for a value b reached (.724,.831) respectively at the semantic level (ɑ 0.01) between the two variables adopted for the values and skills of environmental citizenship in raising each other to the level of each other. Keywords: Educational Program, Environmental Citizenship, Environmental Citizenship Values, Environmental Citizenship Skills.

Middle School Eighth Grade Students’ Perceptions of the Flag

The purpose of this study is to investigate middle school eigth grade students’ perceptions of the flag. This study was conducted as basic qualititative resarch. The data were collected through a metaphor form and student drawings and analyzed using content analysis technique. 240 metaphor forms and 155 student drawings were analyzed. As a result of the research, 8th grade students produced 87 valid metaphors about the flag. The most produced metaphors are listed as homeland, independence, martyrs, freedom and blood. The results showed that the perception of the flag in the minds of the students was gathered under six themes: “flag as a historical heritage”, “flag in terms of the values it represents”, “flag as a representation of the country/homeland”, “the flag in terms of the feelings it evokes”, “flag as a unifying/protective element” and “the flag in terms of reminding place, person, and elements.” It was determined that the theme of the flag as a historical heritage was the most prominent in both metaphors and student drawings, and that the students mostly viewed the flag as a national value symbolizing a long historical struggle.

Impact of the Rigorous Curriculum Design for Project-Based Learning Implementation on Middle School Students’ Science Achievement and MAP Progress

The innovative-based economies such as Finland and other developed countries, offer a viable cohesive, and sustainable curriculum centralized around Project-Based Learning (PBL) and built on the Rigorous Curriculum Design (RCD). Such curriculum is developed by schools and warrants examination in developing countries such as the United Arab Emirates to ensure contextual, cultural, and work-driven demands of second language learners and how it impacts students’ achievements and high-stake testing. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the rigorous curriculum design for project-based learning implementation on middle school students’ science achievement and MAP progress in a private American school in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The study followed a quantitative approach by collecting data using the Standardized Science Knowledge Test (SSKT) and the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) in science for 304 middle school students from grades 6 to 8. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The results have shown that the RCD-PBL science units have a positive impact on teaching and learning and largely impact the students’ achievements and improve their MAP progress and scores. All students in the experimental groups of grades 6, 7, and 8 showed improvement in the SSKT and outperformed their corresponding control groups. Participating middle-grade students on all levels who implemented the RCD-PBL demonstrated greater science academic growth, as indicated by both tools, the SSKT and the MAP, than their counterparts who received textbook-based instruction and thus, confirmed the positive effect of implementing and centralizing PBL in the curriculum using the RCD model.

Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text: Efficacy and Effectiveness

This paper provides an examination of the foundations, efficacy, and effectiveness of a set of practices associated with improved social studies and history learning and literacy outcomes for middle grade students, including students with varying learning needs (e.g., English learners, students with disabilities). This approach, Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text, has been the focus of multiple randomized controlled trials, including a large-scale effectiveness study. This paper has two foci: (a) to examine the evidence for the PACT intervention across settings, populations, and time and (b) to consider the design of these studies and the unit of randomization (i.e., within teacher or across school) to better understand why the typically expected differential effect sizes between efficacy and effectiveness studies were not evident.

A lesson plan revisiting the Eratosthenes experiment to teach the seasons inductively from a space-based perspective

This paper presents a lesson plan designed to teach seventh-grade students about the seasons and reflections of the students using an inductive approach from a space-based perspective. The plan establishes students’ prior knowledge of the topic and continues with the Eratosthenes experiment as a central experience. Eratosthenes experimented in the 250s BC and calculated the Earth’s circumference during the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Teachers used this experiment as a practical learning tool to teach the concept of seasons using the inductive method. Eleven seventh-grade students from Turkey, thirty middle-grade students from Indonesia, and their science teachers participated in the study. The students conducted the Eratosthenes experiment in vernal equinox in Turkey and Indonesia and calculated the circumference of the Earth. The measurements were taken in the experiment from a space-based perspective. After conducting the Eratosthenes experiment, the students reflected on their experiences. They discussed the connection of the experiment to the causes of the seasons. Afterwards, teachers conducted direct instruction and problem-solving activities related to the seasons. Reflections from student experiences and experiments were discussed. The study concluded that the lesson plan involving the Eratosthenes experiment provides an in-depth experience for students and enhances their understanding of the factors related to the space-based perspective.

Developing the Skill of Associating Mathematics with Real Life Through Realistic Mathematics Education: An Action Research

The purpose of this study is to investigate how to improve middle school 6th grade students' skill of associating mathematics with real life through Realistic Mathematics Education, which was reinforced with educational games, to determine the problems possible to be encountered in practice, and how to solve these problems in details. This study, designed as an action research, was carried out in mathematics lessons with totally 25 sixth grade students studying at the first and second semesters of 2018-2019 academic year in an official public secondary school in Adana-Turkey. In the analysis of quantitative data, t-test was used for dependent samples, and inductive and descriptive analysis within the scope of content analysis were performed for analyzing the qualitative data. According to the results, it was determined that Realistic Mathematics Education reinforced with educational games was efficient on increasing the skill of associating mathematics with real life.

Psycho-Educational Effect of Motivational Interviewing on School Burnout

School burnout is an important problem which should be understood in terms of the consequences it causes in the school environment. During school burnout cases, undesirable behaviors may be exhibited. For this reason, it is very important to understand school burnout to recognize and to intervene before causing negative results. The aim of this study is to reduce students' school burnout using the motivational interviewing approach. In this study, a psycho-education program which based on the basic principles of motivational interviewing was developed and applied to middle school 6th and 7th grade students. This study is an experimental study with pretest posttest follow-up test. According to the results of the post-test conducted after psycho-education applications, it was seen that this program decreased significantly students’ school burnout levels. In the follow-up test conducted later, it was observed that the decrease in the levels of school burnout showed stability. Based on these results, it can be said that motivational interviewing based psycho-education al interventions will be beneficial for students experiencing school burnout.

Considering the Social-Emotional Well-Being of Multilingual Learners

This multiple-case study probes the social-emotional well-being of elementary and middle-grade students labeled as English learners who were enrolled in different bilingual program models in the midwestern United States. Using ecological systems theory, this qualitative study probes students’ social-emotional well-being across schools and within different bilingual program models, seeking to determine the structures and practices that nurture positive facets or perpetuate negative facets of student well-being. Findings indicate that interactions with peers and adults in schools influence students’ social-emotional well-being, with program-model variations, community demographics, and societal discourse shaping these in-school experiences, relationships, and sentiments. Implications center on critical consideration of bilingual program-model implementation to prepare teachers, promote schoolwide integration, prioritize home languages, and nurture inclusive communities.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Increasing STEM Self-Efficacy Among Female Middle Grades Students

A gender gap persists in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Although females constitute half the total workforce in the United States, they make up just greater than a quarter of employees in STEM fields. In recent years, one approach to addressing the gender gap in STEM has involved middle grades science teachers helping young adolescent females view themselves as potential scientists from a young age. Through a variety of targeted strategies, science teachers have supported female students in building STEM self-efficacy by encouraging their participation in varied initiatives. This qualitative multi-case study investigated how two middle grades science teachers build STEM self-efficacy in female students both during and outside of formal instruction. Data sources included surveys, interviews, and classroom artifacts. Findings featured specific examples of classroom initiatives that participants believed built female students’ self-efficacy as well as participants’ reasoning for the initiatives’ use and perceived outcomes of their utility. Our findings also indicated that participants’ efforts to build female students’ STEM self-efficacy were hampered by participants’ lack of clarity regarding the meanings of STEM education and STEM self-efficacy. Implications for middle grades teacher education and STEM-focused professional development are included.