Supporting low-performing immigrant children’s development of basic arithmetic with a direct instruction teaching model

Research on immigrant children's education highlights the need for effective teaching strategies, particularly in mathematics, which often acts as a gatekeeper for academic advancement. This study implemented an eight-week arithmetic intervention in a preschool class, targeting low-performing immigrant children. The intervention group was taught using a direct instruction teaching model, while the control group received teaching as usual. Using a quasi-experimental design, trained teachers conducted 24 sessions of 30 min each, with small groups of students. The intervention helped children transition from informal to formal mathematics concepts, focusing on number relations and operations. Immigrant pupils particularly benefited, showing improved understanding through the targeted instruction compared to the control group receiving regular lessons.