The Impact of Direct Teaching Strategy in the Development of Math Skills among a Sample of Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the direct teaching strategy on the development of mathematics skills in a sample of students with learning disabilities. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher applied the direct teaching strategy to develop mathematics skills (introduction, presentation, guided practice, independent practice). The researcher prepared a scale for the achievement of mathematics for students of learning difficulties in the fifth grade. The study sample consisted of (20) students who were chosen purposefully from students with difficulties in mathematics enrolled in the resource rooms. The sample was divided into two equal groups: The first experimental and the second control, the results showed a statistically significant difference at the level of statistical significance (α = 0.05) between the arithmetical averages of students' performance on the achievement test in mathematics due to the difference in the study group, and for the benefit of the experimental group who studied using the direct teaching strategy. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences at the level of statistical significance (α = 0.05) between the mathematical averages of the post-performance of the students on the scale in the dimension (mathematical concepts, computational skills, problem solving skills) attributed to the difference in the study group, and for the benefit of the experimental group, the study recommends the use of special education teachers for the strategy of direct teaching in the teaching of mathematics and conduct a study to investigate the effectiveness of teaching strategies in teaching the skills of mathematics to the students with learning difficulties at different age levels.

Keywords: Direct Teaching Strategy, Math Skills, Students with Learning Disabilities