Supporting students with math difficulties with Sarah Powell (Ep 41)

2025-02-07

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Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Sarah Powell, a leading expert in teaching students with math difficulties. They discuss the shortcomings of a recent joint position statement by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) on teaching math to students with disabilities. Sarah critiques the statement’s failure to include critical evidence-based practices, such as explicit instruction, and its reliance on vague or unsupported recommendations. She highlights research-backed strategies that can truly help students struggling with math, emphasizing the e...

Sarah critiques the statement’s failure to include critical evidence-based practices, such as explicit instruction, and its reliance on vague or unsupported recommendations. She highlights research-backed strategies that can truly help students struggling with math, emphasizing the ethical responsibility of educators, policymakers, and advocates to ensure effective math instruction. Sarah also co-authored a response to the position statement.

Note: The resource page for this episode contains a link to the NCTM/CEC position statement, Sarah’s group’s response, and other articles mentioned in the episode: annastokke.com/ep-41-resources

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
05:06 Understanding math disabilities
08:19 The NCTM/CEC position statement
17:06 Does growth mindset help math outcomes?
17:53 Is UDL evidence based?
21:57 Evidence-based practices for teaching math
29:07 The omission of explicit instruction
30:55 Why explicit instruction is important
35:51 The IES practice guide
38:50 Consequences of poor instruction
41:44 The Influence of NCTM and CEC
43:26 Recommendations for effective math instruction
49:43 Preventing math difficulties
56:02 Final thoughts

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