Remediating Systematic Inversion Errors in Subtraction through the Use of Demonstration and Feedback

Abstract

The literature offers many suggestions for remediating errors in mathematics, however, research on what teaching methods are most effective for remediation of specific errors is almost nonexistent. This study was designed to investigate the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of arithmetic borrowing skills among learning disabled students who made systematic inversion errors in subtraction. Blankenship's teaching technique consisting of demonstration plus feedback is simple and applicable to both special and regular class settings. An important contribution of this study is that it considers the long-term effects of the teaching procedure by assessing the generalization and maintenance effects of the students' performance.