An Investigation of the Effects of Using Literature to Promote the Understanding of Mathematical Concepts in Children with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that including children's literature in the mathematics curriculum improves understanding of math concepts for children with learning disabilities. The subjects included 47 third grade students from a suburban school district outside of Rochester, New York. The children were divided into experimental and control groups. The control group received their regular mathematics curriculum, while the experimental group received the addition of children's literature to the regular curriculum. No statistical significance was noted quantitatively, while qualitatively, improvements were noted in children's attitudes and involvement with the curriculum.