Building Variable Understanding: A Pilot Study of a Supplemental Algebra Tutoring Intervention

For students with mathematics difficulties (MD), persistent struggles in algebra may be compounded by deficits in their conceptual understanding of a variable. This study evaluated a tutoring intervention designed to target critical foundational algebra concepts with a focus on explicitly remediating deficits in students’ understanding of variables, including their meaning, representation, and use in equations and expressions. Using a single-group pretest-posttest design with a sample of 23 eighth-grade students, the effects of an eight-week intervention were evaluated on both specific and general measures of algebra proficiency. Paired-samples t -tests revealed statistically significant gains across several key outcomes. Results provide initial evidence that remediating this core conceptual deficit can improve both specific and generalized algebra outcomes for students with MD.