Schemas, rounding, and comparison, oh my!: Supporting students with money word problems

Abstract

Purchasing skills are important for students with disabilities, including those with support needs, to access their community and future employment opportunities independently. However, making purchasing and money decisions can involve a variety of mathematics skills like rounding, estimation, and price comparison. Schematic diagrams and schema‐based instruction are researcher‐supported interventions used to support students with disabilities in solving word problems related to purchasing and other money related skills. Researchers in this study explored the use of schematic instruction for teaching rounding, estimating, and number comparison skills to aid students in making purchasing decisions. Two of the three students in the study met the mastery criteria of 100% independence for two consecutive sessions; the third did not. The two students who met mastery criteria also successfully generalized the skills to a simulated shopping experience. Overall, the results suggest the value of schematic diagram but also indicate the need to provide more supports and scaffolds to support some students with disabilities in solving multi‐step word problems.