Improving the Numeracy Performance of Middle-School Students through Enhancing Basic Academic Skills: Evidence From the use of QuickSmart with Indigenous Students

Abstract

Indigenous students in the middle-school years experiencing difficulties in basic mathematics are a particularly vulnerable group. During these years gaps in performance between educationally disadvantaged students and their peers widen, potentially leading to ongoing economic and social disadvantage. This chapter reports on a pedagogical approach, referred to as 'Quick-Smart', that has been employed in Australia since 2001 to support middle-school students. The pedagogical approach that underpins the 'QuickSmart' numeracy program can be considered at three levels. The first is as an intervention program that withdraws pairs of students from their classroom instruction for three 30-minute periods each week for a 30-week period. The second level constitutes the pedagogical themes that are important within 'QuickSmart' lessons. For example, the instruction offered in 'QuickSmart' lessons builds on the pre-existing knowledge and understandings of students to encourage their self-belief through successful learning experiences and through focusing on what are seen as foundational skills in mathematics. This approach is very suited to enhancing the learning of many Indigenous students. The third level of pedagogical emphasis relates to the benefits that flow from recruiting Indigenous teacher assistants as Instructors and examining their involvement in the 'QuickSmart' professional learning program. This chapter concludes with evidence drawn from examples of the learning progress of Indigenous middle-school students who completed the 'QuickSmart' Numeracy program. These data show, based on effect-size statistics, cognitive growth for students in 'QuickSmart' of up to two years in the 30-week program as compared to the growth of average-achieving students in the same class who have not accessed the program.