RTI In Mathematics - Hot Math

Hello classmates! My presentation is focused on chapter 8 and 9 of "Response to Intervention in Math" by Paul Riccomini and Bradley Witzel. Chapter 8 is comprised of three different programs that are centered around teaching problem solving strategies to students with disabilities.

As we all know, what is essential for strong problem solving includes an understanding of the problem, a repertoire of skills and strategies, and a strong level of fluency in computation.

These three programs were designed with teaching students these essential problem solving traits, and the book includes brief anecdotes of their successful implementation. There will be separate blog posts for each one. This is the first!


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The first of the three programs outlined in chapter 8 is called "Hot Math"  it is called "Hot Math" because students hold onto five thermometers per skill and shade in points on these thermometers. As the thermometers get higher and higher the students become more "hot" in math. This program lasts 15 weeks (five 3-week units). It is targeted towards 3rd-grade students with disabilities, and each lesson within each unit ranges between 25 and 40 minutes. Problems are broken down into 4 different categories, and students are taught the rules for solving problems in each category. The problem types are:

Shopping List - teaches students to solve multi-step problems when buying a variety of things at different prices.

Half - teaches students ways to find half of a group of objects

Pictograph - teaches students how to solve pictograph type questions and use the data to solve other questions.

Buying bags - teaches students how to deal with word problems that deal with purchasing items in groups

The first unit focuses on teaching students the following: the reasonableness of an answer (does it make sense?), aligning numbers correctly to solve computational problems, and labeling answers with the "appropriate symbols" (units?).  Students are also taught how to interpret what the question is asking them along with how to solve it After unit 1, each unit focuses on one of the above mentioned problem solving types.

A big central theme of the "Hot Math" program is a skill called "transfer". Students are taught what transferring means and why it's important. In this particular case, teachers teach students that problems can change in different ways without changing in solution. Transfer allows students to categorize/classify problems depending on which part of the problem has changed, and solve them using experience, skills and strategies gained from solving prior problems.

In each lesson, teachers model their thinking with a think aloud, along with modeling the solution through a think-aloud. This gives students a chance to hear (and see) solid reasoning and model the problem solving strategies taught in unit 1. As students become more proficient, they are able to work in pairs to solve problems with a peer of higher ability that provides feedback along with the teacher. 

At the end of class, students work independently on a problem and check their answers along with an answer key. Students do not have to get every question correct, but they get points for each part of a problem they get correct. As such, self-regulation is also apart of this program due to the goal-setting and self-monitoring of students through their thermometers.