4 Introduction
must include reasons and connections to help students make
this math meaningful.Students may return to ineffi cient strategies when faced with
challenging problems. They do so because they want to achieve
accuracy. These students benefi t from the teacher providing
intervention that targets their exact academic needs while
challenging them to increase accuracy, effi ciency, fl exibility, and
fl uency. While it makes sense to focus fi rst on accuracy then
move to effi ciency, fl exibility, and fl uency, the goals are not
isolated. We often move back and forth, teaching all four goals
at the same time to help students understand the hows and
whys of mathematics.Focus on Number Sense and Computation
Typically, the problems that struggling students have in
mathematics relate to number sense and computation. Number
sense involves an expansive and inclusive understanding of
number and operations that allows a person to make sound
judgments and utilize practical and effective math strategies
(McIntosh, Reys, & Reys 1993). Number sense is not something
that a person has or does not have. Number sense can be
taught through a concept-based approach. It is important to
examine all of the aspects of number sense to identify which
of these concepts our struggling students are missing. General
intervention is not the best way to build students’ number
sense. We must build students’ number sense through targeted
intervention aimed at the students’ exact academic needs.The Common Core State Standards (2010) require deeper
understanding of mathematics skills and concepts. Because
these standards are based on rigorous content and application