Fiona McDiarmid
The Mathematics Support Teacher (MST) intervention was designed for students who have been identified as having severe learning difficulties in mathematics. The MSTs provide intensive mathematics teaching support aiming to accelerate the students’ progress. The students were provided with four to five additional half hour lessons per week over a 15 to 20 week period. Initial involvement in the intervention has resulted in accelerated gains for the majority of these students. This study is aimed at tracking the progress of students who participated in the intervention in either 2011 or 2012. Longitudinal data were received from eight schools from different regions across New Zealand. Preliminary analysis of the results indicates that approximately half of the students maintained their progress and are on track to achieving at the expected level in relation to the mathematics standards. The remaining students have maintained their learning gains but have not continued to accelerate their mathematics progress. Approximately five percent of the students have made limited or no measurable progress. This round table forum presents longitudinal data after involvement in a mathematics intervention. It will provide an opportunity for participants to review the data, discuss findings and identify solutions for those students not sustaining progress after the MST intervention.